Kitale Traders Protest Lack of Public Participation in South Lokichar Oil Railway Land Acquisition
Traders in Kitale Town staged protests over the alleged lack of public participation in the proposed South Lokichar oil railway land acquisition.
The demonstrators accused both the National Assembly and Senate Energy Committees of deliberately failing to conduct public participation forums in Trans Nzoia County, as required by law.
Protesters expressed concern over the South Lokichar Field Development Plan (FDP) by Gulf Energy, which initially proposed transporting crude oil to Mombasa by railway instead of the government’s preferred pipeline option. They argued that the proposal has far-reaching implications for land ownership and livelihoods along the proposed route, yet affected communities were not adequately consulted.
The traders cited Article 118 of the Constitution, which requires Parliament to conduct its business in a manner that promotes public participation. They also referenced Articles 95 and 96, which mandate Parliament to represent and protect the interests of the people and county governments.
In addition, the protesters pointed to Article 71(1) of the Constitution and provisions of the Petroleum Act, arguing that parliamentary approval of natural resource agreements must be informed by meaningful public engagement.
The demonstrators called for inclusive consultations before any land acquisition or implementation of the project proceeds
