Tullow resumes oil trucking after truce with Turkana locals

President Uhuru Kenyatta during the launch of the Early Oil Pilot Scheme at the Tullow Oil exploration site in Lokichar, Turkana county on June 3, 2018. /PSCU
President Uhuru Kenyatta during the launch of the Early Oil Pilot Scheme at the Tullow Oil exploration site in Lokichar, Turkana county on June 3, 2018. /PSCU

Five trucks loaded with 600 barrels of oil left Lokichar oil field left for Mombasa on Thursday.

This followed a truce between Tullow Oil Plc and the community members after two months of a standoff over "Local Content".

A series of meetings steered by Petroleum CS John Munyes with stakeholders and member of the community saw the resumption of the EOPS.

Munyes, Turkana County Commissioner Seif Matata, Tullow Oil Company officials based in Turkana held meetings in Nakukulas, Lokichar, and Kalemgorok.

MPs James Lomenen (Turkana South), Christopher Nakuleu (Turkana North), and Mohammed Ali Lokiru (Turkana East) attended the meetings.

The EOPS was halted on June 27 by residents of Turkana South and Turkana East constituencies.

This came days after President Uhuru Kenyatta flagged off trucks moving oil from the site on May 31.

The locals had set conditions for the national government and Tullow among them beefing up security in violence hot spots in the region.

They also raised issues of employment, the award of tenders to the local communities among others.

Among measures taken by the government to address the demands was the deployment of security in the troubled areas.

Three battalions of GSU personnel were deployed to Lomelo and reinforced by the Rapid Deployment Unit of the AP.

Turkana political leaders allowed the oil movement but demanded the immediate employment of locals as road marshalls.

"We are are putting up a Turkana grievance management committee that will be dealing with any conflicts that may arise in future," Munyes said.

Last week, Tullow Oil country manager Martin Mbogo said the company had resumed its operations at the South Lokichar basin.

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