Turkana Leaders have Said

 Turkana South MP James Lomenen (right) and his Turkana East counterpart Nicholas Ng’ikor are among legislators who want the government to fulfil its pledges before venturing into oil infrastructure. (Photo: File) Nairobi: Turkana MPs have vowed to block oil drilling and the construction of pipeline until the government honours its promises on infrastructure, security, power, water, and jobs for people in the county.

Earlier this month, Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter said that Kenya aims to start small-scale crude oil production from Turkana fields next year and has commenced work on road and rail infrastructure that will be used to transport it. “The production which we have talked with Tullow, with oil prices at $30, they will be able to produce about 2,000 barrels per day. But they are not going to go into full-scale production for commercialisation,” Keter told a news conference. Keter said they were proceeding with plans to start small scale production by 2017, and that roads connecting the oilfields to Eldoret were being improved, along with a railway from Eldoret to the port city of Mombasa.