Standoff ends as oil firm resumes trucking from Turkana

Oil trucking from Turkana to Mombasa is set to resume before the end of next week after operations resumed in the oilfields.

Petroleum and Mining Cabinet Secretary John Munyes and Tullow Oil Country Manager Martin Mbogo Wednesday said workers, who had been evacuated following a 45-day stand-off, had reported back to work.

“Oil operations kicked off last week but the actual transportation of crude oil will be on Thursday next week,” Mr Munyes told journalists in Lodwar Wednesday.

"Already key operations like water provision to residents living within the oil fields has been normalised and by the end of next week we should have trucks loaded with crude oil leave Lokichar for Mombasa," Mr Mbogo said.

STRUCTURED APPROACH

Mr Mbogo said the formation of a structured approach to resolving conflicts will supplement the existing Tullow Oil project level grievances management system.

Mr Munyes said that the resumption of oil transportation will take place after the inauguration of the gazetted Turkana Grievances and Management Committee, chaired by County Commissioner Seif Matata, on Tuesday next week.

Mr Munyes said that Inter ministerial Escalation and Support Committee that comprises the cabinet secretaries for Petroleum and Water, the Attorney-General, Turkana Parliamentary Caucus Group and other key leaders will soon meet to discuss the resumption of oil operations.

Turkana deputy governor Peter Lorethiro, Ministry of Petroleum and Mining chief administrative secretary John Mosonik and several members of county assembly were also present during the briefing.

Mr Munyes said that all stakeholders had learnt a lot from the oil standoff which has resulted in a Sh400 million loss.