Page 6 - AfrOil Week 36 2021

AfrOil COMMENTARY AfrOil

Lokichar-Lamu pipeline route map (Image: LAPSSET)
It remains to be seen whether the county’s objec- favour of the county administration’s call for
tions to LLCOP ultimately have the same impact suspending land acquisition for the LLCOP
as the NGO campaign against EACOP. They initiative.
may not, if they do not end up drawing the same Local authorities need more time to set up
level of international attention as the latter. the land registrar, which will help ensure fair
compensation to disadvantaged populations,
Land acquisition issues he said.
So far, the topic has mostly drawn interest from “[Before] the pipeline passes in our county,
Kenyan press agencies, which reported recently we must have title deeds for our land and given
that Josphat Nanok, the governor of Kenya’s Tur- value for all trees along the way for compen-
kana County, and James Lomenen Ekomwa, a sation,” he was quoted as saying by the Nation
member of Kenya’s Parliament representing newspaper.
Turkana South, had criticised the government’s He continued: “Land in Turkana County
approach to acquiring land for LLCOP. can’t be taken without permission from leaders
Nanok recently alleged that Kenya’s National and locals, as it will remain our land. Our land
Land Commission (NLC) had begun acquiring should only be leased for intended projects for a
land on behalf of the State Department of Petro- certain period and reverted to owners, or else we
leum and Mining in violation of the country’s will kill pastoralism in the affected areas.” Delaying
constitution and existing body of law. More LLCOP could
specifically, he charged that NLC had impinged Nairobi’s response
upon local authorities’ rights in the process of Kenya’s government, meanwhile, has responded stymie plans
laying the groundwork for LLCOP. by pointing out that delaying LLCOP will stymie
“The county government is the custodian plans for the development of oil reserves in the for developing
of the community land and must be included South Lokichar basin.
in such processes like compulsory land acqui- John Munyes, the cabinet secretary of the oilfields in the
sition,” he was quoted as saying by the Nation Ministry for Petroleum and Mining, recently South Lokichar
daily newspaper. stressed that Kenya needed LLCOP, which will
He urged Nairobi to consult more closely follow an 892-km route from Lokichar to the basin
with the county administration, saying that this Indian Ocean port of Lamu, to move crude to
approach would be more fruitful than hold- market. If oil does not flow, he remarked, the
ing “small meetings” with few local officials in government cannot distribute funds accord-
attendance. ing to the provisions of the 2019 Petroleum
The governor also called on the government (Exploration and Production) Act, which calls
to hold some of its consultations on the pipeline for national, county and local governments
outside the country’s major urban centres in to receive 75%, 20% and 5% of all revenues
order to accommodate local officials. He also respectively.
called attention to Turkana County’s plan to Munyes also described Turkana County as
establish a land registrar, saying that this step the last remaining obstacle to land acquisition
would allow the parties to discuss the matter for LLCOP, noting that NLC had already com-
more transparently. pleted this process in Lamu, Garissa, Meru, Isi-
Meanwhile, Lomenen has spoken up in olo and Sambu counties.

P6 www. NEWSBASE .com Week 36 08•September•2021