Leaders threaten to stop oil exploration in Kilifi

A section of Kilifi leaders have called for the suspension of oil exploration in the county until concerns raised by residents are addressed.

The row over exploration of oil at Arabuko Sokoke forest pits local leaders led by County Deputy Speaker Teddy Mwambire against Camac Energy, which won a bid to explore potential reserves in Block L16.

The firm has contracted the Bureau of Geographic Prospecting (BGP) to carry out seismic testing of the region.

Kilifi County Deputy Speaker Teddy Mwambire said the firm has not consulted the community on the exploration.

According to Mr Mwambire, representatives from Camac had approached residents for access to land and promised to compensate them. However, they had not stated the amount each will get.

RESOLVE ISSUES FIRST

Mr Mwambire said the company was presenting land owners with papers that would allow BGP to access their plots.

“The written agreements have not stated the actual amount of money residents will receive for their land,” he said.

Mr Mwambire, who is also the Sokoke ward member of County Assembly vowed to block the firms from exploring the minerals without the consent of locals.

“We also need to know how the forests will be protected from degradation, how land will be compensated and compensation rates,” he said.

Mr Mwambire said the project was being undertaken in “ a mysterious way.”

“On the ground, certain people are visiting farmers and telling them that they have support from the Kilifi County government,” he alleged.

“Our position as the county is clear; we have not authorised the project to continue until the contentious issues are resolved,” Mr Mwambire said.

“The companies are luring chiefs by asking them to nominate two people in each ward for employment. We want the people of the area to fully benefit, not individuals,” he added.

ASSESSMENT NOT PUBLICISED
The firms say the county government is not in charge of mining.

“We are also a government and the company cannot defy us. We have our laws that must be followed by all investors,” he added.

At the same time, lobby have alleged that an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Camac conducted has not been made public.

Nature Kenya director Paul Matiku said the impact of the exploration will affect the area’s bio –diversity and degrade the environment.

“The seismic surveys will do a lot of damage to the forest,” Dr Matiku said. According to records, the 103, 784 acres of Arabuko Sokoke Forest is the largest indigenous coastal forest in East Africa.