By benadeta mwaura - Reporter
Kenya, January 16 2026 - Leaders and residents of West Pokot County marched to a parliamentary forum to press for a fair share of benefits from Kenya’s burgeoning oil sector, arguing that while Turkana hosts the oil wells, West Pokot plays a crucial role as the supplier of water for oil production.
The demands were made during a public hearing on the South Lokichar Field Development Plan convened by a joint committee of the National Assembly and Senate energy committees. While the oil fields and extraction sites are in Turkana County, the project depends on water drawn from the Turkwel Dam in West Pokot, which residents say entitles their county to tangible benefits.
At the hearing in Turkwel, Kapenguria Constituency, speakers highlighted this contribution and pressed for constitutional and legislative recognition of West Pokot’s stake in the oil economy. Julius Mawathe, Member of Parliament for Embakasi South, argued that it would be unfair to exclude West Pokot from the benefits.
“West Pokot residents must benefit from their natural resource. The water that will be used in South Lokichar oil production is coming from this county and that contribution cannot be ignored,” he told the committee. Leaders cited the Energy Act of 2019, which provides for revenue sharing from natural resources, as part of their case for inclusion.
They contend that since West Pokot provides a critical input for production, water from Turkwel Dam, the county qualifies for a fair share of oil proceeds alongside Turkana. The Resident Engineer for the National Irrigation Authority, Felix Shiundu, said the government plans to expand irrigation infrastructure in West Pokot, including 60,000 acres under sprinkler irrigation and six new water supply points, to enhance food security and agricultural output in both West Pokot and neighbouring Turkana.
Former West Pokot Governor Prof. John Lonyangapuo welcomed the oil project’s advancement but stressed that benefits must reach beyond Turkana. “We thank the Government of Kenya for advancing oil exploration in Turkana County, but West Pokot residents should also benefit through electricity and water projects. With irrigation, hunger in West Pokot will be a thing of the past,” he said.
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Community leaders also called for direct social benefits, including scholarships funded from oil revenues and upgrades to local health facilities such as the Turkwel Health Centre, which they say will face new pressures once oil production scales up. Opinion leader Elijah Kinshasa underscored the need for fairness in employment opportunities, urging that jobs created by oil development be distributed evenly between Turkana and West Pokot communities rather than concentrated in the host county alone.
Senator William Kisang, co-chair of the joint committee and representative for Elgeyo Marakwet, said the hearing in West Pokot was part of a constitutionally mandated public participation process, required under Article 118 and 118A of the 2010 Constitution for major development plans affecting communities.
The hearing forms part of Parliament’s review of the South Lokichar Field Development Plan, a key step before ratification of the plan and associated production sharing contracts submitted by developer Gulf Energy E&P BV to regulators and lawmakers. Approval is critical for Kenya’s transition from exploration to commercial oil production, which is expected to bring revenue, jobs and infrastructure development if managed inclusively.
Supporters of equitable benefit-sharing say the national government, county governments and oil companies must agree on clear mechanisms to ensure local communities benefit from oil development, whether through revenue allocations, infrastructure, employment, utilities like electricity and water, or social programmes. They are also calling on Parliament to embed protections and guarantees in the production sharing legislation and regulations to prevent marginalisation.
The parliamentary committee is expected to compile submissions from West Pokot and other stakeholders before making recommendations to the National Assembly and Senate on the South Lokichar Field Development Plan, a process observers say will shape how Kenya’s oil wealth is shared and managed in coming years.
