West Pokot Demands Share of Oil Benefits as Parliament Holds Public Hearing on South Lokichar Development Plan

Leaders and residents from West Pokot have demanded an equitable share of benefits from oil production in Turkana, arguing that the South Lokichar oil project heavily relies on water resources drawn from their county.

The demands were raised on Thursday during a public hearing convened by a Joint Committee of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Energy and the Senate Standing Committee on Energy on the South Lokichar Field Development Plan, held in Turkwel.

Participants told the joint parliamentary committee that while Turkana hosts the oil fields, West Pokot plays a critical role by supplying water for oil production, and therefore deserves a fair share of the project’s benefits.

Embakasi South MP Hon. Julius Mawathe said West Pokot residents must benefit from the exploitation of natural resources linked to their county, noting that water from West Pokot will be used extensively in oil production at the South Lokichar fields.

“The people of West Pokot must not be left out, yet their water resources are central to this project,” Mawathe said.

Resident Engineer at the National Irrigation Authority, Eng. Felix Shiundu, told the forum that the government has planned irrigation projects covering 60,000 acres in West Pokot to boost food security and livelihoods. He said current irrigation along riverbanks has often led to conflict due to competition for water between farmers and livestock keepers.

“To address this, the government will adopt sprinkler irrigation systems instead of furrow irrigation to reduce conflict and improve efficiency,” Eng. Shiundu said, adding that once the 60,000 acres are fully irrigated, food security in West Pokot would be guaranteed.

He further disclosed plans to establish six water supply points to support irrigation, covering a total of 2,000 acres, split equally between Turkana and West Pokot counties.

Former West Pokot Governor Prof. John Lonyangapuo welcomed the government’s progress on oil exploration in Turkana but emphasized the need for inclusivity and shared benefits.

“We appreciate the government’s efforts in advancing oil exploration in Turkana, but West Pokot residents should also benefit through electricity, water, and irrigation projects,” Prof. Lonyangapuo said, adding that expanded irrigation would help eliminate hunger in the county.

Leaders cited the Energy Act of 2019, which provides for revenue sharing from natural resources, arguing that West Pokot qualifies for a share of oil revenues due to its contribution of water resources essential to oil production.

Kapenguria MP Hon. Samuel Moroto recalled unfulfilled promises made during the construction of the Turkwel Dam, saying local communities were promised irrigation projects that never materialized.

“When Turkwel Dam was constructed, our people were promised irrigation, but it never came. We now want Turkwel Dam water to directly benefit the local community,” Moroto said.

Elgeyo Marakwet Senator and Joint Committee co-chair, Sen. William Kisang, said the public hearing was a constitutional requirement under the Constitution of Kenya 2010, emphasizing the importance of public participation in national development projects.

“We are here in Turkwel to conduct public participation as required by the Constitution,” Sen. Kisang said.

From the private sector, Bethwell Sang, Gulf Energy’s Social Performance Lead, explained that the company opted to source water from Turkwel Dam after Lake Turkana was ruled out due to its UNESCO World Heritage status.

“The project will involve two pipelines—one to supply water to the oilfields and another to deliver treated water for domestic use and irrigation to West Pokot residents,” Sang said, summarizing the arrangement as Turkana providing oil while West Pokot supplies water.

Community leaders also pressed for tangible social benefits. Paul Lolem, a community leader, called for scholarships for children from West Pokot funded by oil revenues, noting that Turkana residents benefited from similar programmes during the Tullow Oil era.

He further demanded that West Pokot receive an equal 20 per cent share of oil proceeds, arguing that the county’s water resources are as critical as Turkana’s oil reserves.

Village elder Lolemtwan Locholiamoi urged the government to upgrade Turkwel Health Centre, warning that oil production could introduce new health challenges to the area.

Meanwhile, opinion leader Elijah Kinshasa called for fairness in employment once Gulf Energy begins production, demanding equal job opportunities for Turkana and Pokot communities.

The public hearing underscored growing calls for inclusive resource governance, with leaders insisting that communities contributing to natural resource development must benefit equitably from national projects.