Turkana chiefs in talks ahead of Uhuru meet

PHOTO | JARED NYATAYA Turkana Senator John Munyes, Senator Zipporah Kittony and Uasin Gishu deputy Governor Daniel Chemno in Eldoret town on August 12, 2013. Mr Munyes said raiders who killed Turkana fishermen should be pursued. NATION MEDIA GROUP

By SAMMY LUTTAMore by this Author

Turkana leaders are meeting to prepare a report for President Kenyatta before Tullow Oil company resumes operations on November 8.

Governor Josphat Nanok, deputy Governor Peter Lokoel, Senator John Munyes, Senate Speaker Ekwee Ethuro, MPs Nicholas Ngikor (Turkana East) and James Lomenen (Turkana South) held the first meeting on Saturday at a Lodwar hotel.

The leaders regretted the suspension of the firm’s operations, which Mr Munyes said was costing Tullow Sh20 million a day.

“We didn’t intend to halt their operations. The large number of demonstrators from Turkana South and Turkana East sub-counties, with their songs and dances, scared away the expatriates and technicians, who are sensitive to matters of security,” said Mr Lomenen.

Suspended operations

The company suspended its operations on October 26, claiming that its property had been looted and damaged during the protests.

In a meeting with President Kenyatta and Tullow management, Mr Lomenen claimed, the firm’s managers admitted short-changing the local community by subcontracting Rolls Company to provide transport.

“Salaries for locals, whose vehicles have been hired, are slashed from Sh100,000 to Sh90,000,” he said.

The MP said the meeting resolved that the firm looks into the complaints and resolves the problem, as the leaders pushed for jobs, tenders and contracts for the locals. Some of the products they want to supply are charcoal, vegetables, meat and water.

The leaders are also expected to meet with residents of the two sub-counties to collect their views, as well as inform them of the ongoing consultations with Tullow and the national government.

Tullow has defended itself against claims of locking out the locals out of employment, saying 85 per cent of its semi-skilled and unskilled workers are from Turkana.

The firm said in a statement that it had employed over 1,024 people from the county, and pledged to boost its relations with the local community.

“We are treating this as an isolated case and are fully committed to looking into and resolving issues for long term stability,” it said.

“Our business and our success rely on working together, whether it is with investors, partners, host governments and local communities”.

Additional reporting by MAZERA NDURYA
mndurya@ke.nationmedia.com