Turkana community and Tullow clash over Sh258 million oil revenues

Turkana Extractives Consortium and representatives from the Community Land Management Committee of Kapese, Lokichar, and Kasuroi will move to court to seek an interpretation to determine which party is at fault in the Sh258 million oil revenue dispute pitting the community, Turkana County government, and Tullow Oil Company.Aule Esikiria, Chairperson of the Community Land Management Committee from Kapese village unit, stated that the committee has made several efforts to obtain an explanation for the use of these funds, but their efforts have been unfruitful.According to Esikiria, Tullow Oil Company responded by stating that the funds were intended for levies, rates, and taxes.Aule stated that the land Act of 2016 provides CLMCs with powers to sue the County government of Turkana if the land rates are not paid to the host community.The Community Land Management Committee insists that the money allocated for rates should directly benefit the residents of Kapese, Lokichar, and Kasuroi, as per the Communi ty Land Act 2016.'Way back in 2011 to 2015, the county used all the money, but from 2016, the land rates should benefit people within oil extraction areas,' he expressed.Peter Ewesit, Chairperson for CLMC from Kasuroi village unit seconded Aule's sentiment stating that the county government understands roles of CLMC in regard to land Act 2016. He stated that the land rates should be paid to the host communityVeronica Lotesiro, a resident of Lokichar, said that the county government should act as a custodian of the money paid to the community by Tullow Company.She requested the Turkana County government to allow the Land Committees from Kapese, Lokichar, and Kasuroi sufficient time to complete all registration procedures for the disbursement of the money to their accounts.Lotesiro also expressed her gratitude to the governor of Turkana County Jeremiah Lomorukai for pledging to be transparent with the money because they are for the communityGeofrey Ariong said that the discussion around Sh258 by com munity, Turkana County government and Tullow Oil Company has brought a lot of confusion which has led the Turkana Extractives Consortium to seek for further juridical interpretation from the court of law.'I believe that an interpretation that will come from the court of law will shed light on the stand of the community land and who is at fault in this matter,' he said.The Community Land Management Committee members pleaded with the county government to consider paying host community land rates from 2016 to date. This is in regard to Land act 2016.Source: Kenya News Agency