• Says residents should be engaged in the process of land acquisition meant for the establishment of a pipeline to transport crude oil from Lokichar basin to Mombasa
• He says it is wrong for the government to acquire land by force
Turkana South MP James Lomenen has urged the Mining ministry to involve Turkana residents in the Lapsset project.
He said residents should be engaged in the process of land acquisition meant for the establishment of a pipeline to transport crude oil from Lokichar basin to Mombasa.
It will be 865km long and 500 metres wide. It will run from Nadapal in South Sudan to Lamu. The crude oil pipeline traverses six counties, including Turkana, Samburu, Isiolo, Meru, Gariasa and Lamu.
Lomenen spoke on Sunday during a fundraiser for Kiniamarae Women group in Kerio, Turkana Central.
He said it is wrong for the government to acquire land by force. "Elders, professionals, youths and women have not been involved in the process of land acquisition. The government should not use force to acquire our land. The deal being signed by the Mining ministry hasn't engaged residents," Lomenen said.
The legislator said there is no way the land can be taken without the residents' consent. "We need to perform rituals to appease our ancestors for the land to be taken ... without it, the Lapsset deal will continue to delay, until the government officials meet the grievances of the community."
This comes barely a week after the Mining ministry, led by CS John Munyes, urged residents to allow the government to acquire land for the pipeline establishment.
“Turkana is lucky because of the oil discovery. We are now trying to get the land to establish the pipeline,” Munyes told chiefs in Turkana. He urged the administrators to support the programme.
In March, the Turkana government went to court seeking orders to stop the implementation of the National Land Commission's decision on compulsory land acquisition.
Reports show that by May this year, 112,648 barrels had been transported to Mombasa for export.