A government-led public participation exercise on the proposed construction of a Smart City and Affordable Housing project at the Bungoma airstrip was disrupted after a court case was filed challenging the development.
The exercise failed to proceed as scheduled after Bungoma gubernatorial aspirant Zachariah Baraza moved to court to oppose the project, effectively blocking the consultation forum meant to collect residents’ views.
Following the legal action, Baraza addressed residents who had turned up at the site, outlining his reasons for rejecting the proposed Smart City and housing development on the 50-acre parcel of land.
Baraza argued that Bungoma County’s priority should be job creation rather than large-scale urban projects, saying residents needed factories and employment opportunities to empower them economically.
He questioned the government’s intentions behind the project, noting that major cities such as Nairobi and Kisumu had grown organically without the need for government-built Smart Cities.
According to Baraza, economic empowerment would naturally lead residents to develop their own urban centres, rather than relying on state-driven projects they do not fully understand.
Residents who attended the halted forum echoed similar sentiments, saying they felt excluded from the planning process and were being forced to accept developments without proper consultation.
One resident stated that ordinary citizens living near the airstrip had not been adequately involved in discussions about the project, despite it directly affecting their land and livelihoods.
Urban planners describe smart cities as ecosystems built on data, where sensors are used to manage waste collection, water use, and energy consumption more efficiently.
Previously, Governor Kenneth Lusaka has justified the move to redevelop the airstrip in the county, insisting that setting up a smart City was not a symbol of land grabbing but the foundation of an ambitious urban dream.
In Lusaka's telling, the smart city would feature streets equipped with intelligent traffic systems, renewable energy-powered public lighting, high-speed internet integrated into homes, and digitised public services.
“The Bungoma Airstrip land was duly degazetted by the Kenya Airports Authority. It has not been grabbed, and no individual stands to benefit personally from this project," the governor said.
This development comes merely days after Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka dismissed claims that the land had been irregularly acquired, stating that it was lawfully degazetted by the Kenya Airports Authority to make way for the planned Smart City.
According to Lusaka, the smart city plan includes mixed-use developments, affordable housing, green spaces, innovation hubs, and business parks meant to attract investors and young entrepreneurs.
