Land compensation demands likely to delay Lamu-Lokichar oil pipeline

The pipeline will take up large tracks of land and need immediate compensation before implementation.

The project under the Lamu Port South Sudan Ethiopia Transport (Lapsset) corridor is anticipated to use much of the community land where there are no systems for compensation.

According to Prof Jacob Kibwage, a lead environmental consultant, land is one of the major sources of conflict along the pipeline route.

As such, the Africa Waste and Environment Management Centre in association with Impulso Industrial Alternativo, a Spanish organisation, through the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum have started engaging stakeholders on their interests, concerns and recommendations regarding the developments.

Social assessment

Prof Kibwage said the forums are meant to sensitise residents along the corridor so that the project does not cause conflicts as experienced in other countries.

For instance, fishermen from Lamu County, he said, also want the government to stipulate clearly how compensation will be done once exploration of undersea oil begins.

He added that other regions have expressed similar sentiments during forums conducted along the pipeline.
“We are holding forums on strategic environmental and social assessment of the petroleum sector to ensure its sustainability without conflicts,” said the environmental consultant.

He said both the national and county governments should have policies and bills to solve issues relating to land and compensation.

Isiolo is earmarked to be an oil refinery centre.

Prof Kibwage further added that the government through the Early Kenyan Crude Oil Scheme-2017 is currently working on the completion of the oil production facilities at Lokichar and road trucking of the oil from Lokichar to Kitale or Eldoret.