Oil operations to resume next week

The government will resume trucking crude oil from Turkana to Mombasa next week, two months after the project stalled due to disputes with the local community.

This will see operations resume on August 22 following the setting up of the Turkana Grievance Management Committee aimed at resolving issues raised by the local community.

Briefing the press on Monday, Petroleum Cabinet Secretary John Munyes said the 45 day stalemate had served in unearthing hurdles that could hinder oil operations when Kenya finally commercializes its oil.

“For the first time, we will have a structured, resourced and legally recognized platform through which the host community, Turkana leadership, national and county government, as well as the contractor, will use to dialogue and amicably solve any emerging issues. It has taken us 45 days because we wanted to make it right,” Mr Munyes said.

“We have learnt from this and we have had engagements,” he added.

A section of Turkana residents set up a blockade in June protesting the lack of security in the region as well as pushing for an increased slice of the local community share.

Tullow Oil had stopped work at its oilfields and stopped the trucking operations after protests by the local community disrupted a transport scheme.

Kenya has over the past two months lost sh400 million following the stalemate.

Tullow Oil country manager Martin Mbogo said the contractors were back on ground while employees would be mobilized over the course of the week.

“First initiative was to respond to key disruptions. Success so far is we have water provision, we have the camp up and running. We will get the first truck targeted to be ready to exit on or around the 22nd or 23rd of this month,” said Mr Mbogo.

The government plans to have at least 2,000 barrels of the crude oil transported to Mombasa daily.

Tags:

Mombasa Martin Mbogo Tullow Oil turkana Ministry of Petroleum John Munyes trucking transport road MOU community dispute

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