Tullow says it’s awaiting nod for oil transport to Mombasa Mombasa
OIL EXPLORATION IN NORTHERN KENYA. FILE PHOTO | NMG
What you need to know:
The government has indicated that it was preparing for the trucking of the oil under the Early Oil Pilot Scheme by the end of May although that prospective is facing a number of obstacles.
The oil company’s country manager Martin Mbogo, however, said they were only waiting for a nod from the government to start the transportation.
Responding to questions on Tullow’s preparedness for the piloting, Mr Mbogo said they were still engaging the government to ensure the success of the scheme.
Tullow is ready to transport oil from Turkana to Mombasa before the end of this month but is still waiting for the government’s permission to do so.
The government has indicated that it was preparing for the trucking of the oil under the Early Oil Pilot Scheme by the end of May although that prospective is facing a number of obstacles.
The oil company’s country manager Martin Mbogo, however, said they were only waiting for a nod from the government to start the transportation.
Responding to questions on Tullow’s preparedness for the piloting, Mr Mbogo said they were still engaging the government to ensure the success of the scheme.
“From a technical perspective, Tullow is ready to commence Early Oil Piloting Scheme trucking. However, stakeholder engagements led by the government of Kenya are ongoing and we await for the government’s green light to proceed,” said Mr Mbogo.
Despite the assurance, the probability of that happening has been set back by the suspension of the new Petroleum Bill in the National Assembly. Majority, Leader Aden Duale said there were too many changes proposed by MPs, necessitating its temporary withdrawal.
Under the scheme, the oil will be taken by road to the Kenya Petroleum Refineries in Mombasa as it awaits exportation.
The piloting programme, however, faces a number of challenges. There has been an uproar over what Turkana people should get following a contested proposal in the new Petroleum Bill that is before the National Assembly sponsored by the national government. The proposed law gives Turkana County a total of 25 per cent from the oil revenue but that is capped so that the total amount given does not exceed what the county gets from the National Treasury each year.
From that, 20 per cent will go to the county government and the remaining to the host community.
The residents and their leaders want 10 per cent for the host community and have already drawn a red line. They said any attempt to lower the percentage will be a provocation to act.
At Lepese village in Turkana South, Mr Malcon Lopatio, was more blunt, saying they were ready to fight for what they believed was their right share.
“We are always being called for meetings but nothing is coming out of them. These are useless meetings. If they do not want to listen to us and address our problems they should be ready for a difficult time,” said Mr Lopatio, a boda boda rider.
Mr Samuel Lomodo, a local leader, said the general feeling among the people was that with the 10 per cent their lives would be improved faster.
He said it would be an insult to the residents if that was to be reduced. “The message is clear and the people here have spoken. They have said there will be no oil that will leave Turkana unless they are assured that they will get the 10 per cent,” said Mr Lomodo in Lokichar.
Another big challenge is the delayed construction of Kainuk bridge that literally connects Turkana to the outside world.
Without the bridge, which the Deputy President William Ruto recently said had been allocated Sh1.5 billion, transportation of the oil will be impossible.
