Members of Parliament from Turkana County have called on President Uhuru Kenyatta to suspend the Early Oil Pilot Scheme (EOPS) which he launched on June 3.
Turkana Woman Representative Joyce Emanikor and Turkana North MP Christopher Nakuleu explained that bandit attacks posed the biggest threat to the scheme and, therefore, the future of the people of Turkana.
They further maintained that the attacks had nothing to do with cattle rustling but were actually well-orchestrated schemes to lay claim to areas rich in natural resources, especially with a boundaries review by the IEBC on the horizon.
Speaking to Kenyans.co.ke, Emanikor revealed that not even a vow by President Kenyatta in Turkana that armed bandits "would return home in caskets" had been able to stop the violence.
"These bandits defied the President's order, isn't that disrespect? Just a few hours after he left they attacked the same ward.
[caption caption="Joyce Emanikor"]
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"They killed a security guard 20 kilometres from where he was speaking," she disclosed.
Emanikor further noted that while they were satisfied with the revenue sharing agreement on the oil, insecurity could render the entire plan useless.
She questioned how the oil would get to its destination safely with armed bandits active along the Lodwar-Kitale road.
"With insecurity, we might not realize any of these things. Nothing will move, we have to deal with the security first," she maintained.
Under the EOPS, Tullow Oil targets to produce at least 2,000 barrels a day to be transported to the port in Mombasa for export.
Full production is scheduled to commence in 2021 once a pipeline from the oil fields to Lamu is complete.
[caption caption="President Uhuru Kenyatta (centre), Turkana Governor Josphat Nanok (left) and Deputy President William Ruto second (right) launch the EOPS on June 3, 2018"]
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