Turkana Resident Faults Timing of South Lokichar Oil Public Participation Amid Rising Insecurity, banditry attacks.
Lodwar, Turkana resident Charles Trevor has criticized the government’s decision to proceed with a public participation forum on the proposed oil extraction project in the region while residents continue to face worsening banditry attacks from a neighbouring community.
“The National government together with county government of turkana should have stopped participating in public participation for oil process to solve the peace issue between the two communities,” Trevor said.
He argued that both the national and Turkana County governments should first prioritise restoring peace before engaging communities in discussions on oil development. He said ongoing insecurity makes it difficult for residents to meaningfully participate in the process.
“There is no way we can take part in oil reforms when our community is suffering from insecurity. The government should have first addressed the peace issue between the two communities,” Trevor added.
He warned that without stability, local residents risk being sidelined from benefiting from the oil project and urged the government to urgently intervene to restore peace and security in the area.
During a public engagements held in Kalemgorok and Lokichar, Turkana South, locals called on the government to urgently restore peace in the area, amid rising banditry attacks.
The concerns were raised during a public participation exercise conducted by the Joint Parliamentary Committee on Energy on the proposed oil extraction project in the region.
Residents urged the government to prioritise security before commencing oil operations, warning that persistent insecurity could endanger both local communities and the safe transportation of the oil commodity.
They linked the rising insecurity to frequent attacks allegedly carried out by members of the neighbouring Pokot community, citing cases of livestock raids that have resulted in deaths, injuries and displacement of residents
