The Chairperson of the National Gender and Equality Commission, Hon. Rehema Jaldesa, has told residents of Lokichar that their rights over community land are protected.
She addressed residents at Aroo Teachers Training College on Wednesday 7 October 2026 on the issues affecting communities that host oil operations in Turkana South. Hon. Jaldesa said land acquisition and compensation fall under the mandate of the National Land Commission, and that when development comes, compensation must be fair and commensurate with the value of the land.
A PROJECT NEARING PRODUCTION
The meeting came weeks before drilling resumes. Gulf Energy, which acquired Tullow Oil’s assets in the South Lokichar Basin, has set 1 November 2026 as its spud date and is targeting first oil in December at an initial 20,000 barrels a day. Compensation remains unresolved. About 3,600 project affected persons face compulsory acquisition of their land.
The National Land Commission opened a preliminary inquiry into oil-related land disputes in January 2026, and its Chairperson met the Kapese community on compulsory acquisition in April. Residents have demanded that compensation be settled before drilling begins.
REVENUE AND LOCAL CONTENT
Hon. Jaldesa reminded residents that the Petroleum Act, 2019 sets aside five per cent of the national government’s share of petroleum revenue for the local community and provides for local content.
The Act allocates profit oil 75 per cent to the national government, 20 per cent to the county government and five per cent to the community. Residents have raised concern that cost-recovery provisions could reduce or delay the community share.
The Chairperson urged the community to engage actively on how its share is managed, and called on companies operating in the area to meet their corporate social responsibility to host communities.
Speaking at the meeting, Gulf Energy’s representative, Mr John Eris Lothike, said the company is committed to ethical and equitable business practices, ensuring that community needs and concerns are addressed. The Commission’s interest lies in its mandate to ensure that women, youth, persons with disabilities and older members of host communities share equitably in compensation, employment and benefits.
“Access to education is a right,” Hon. Jaldesa said, calling for the college to be fully operationalised for local young people. The Commission’s legal clinic received complaints at the venue.
