Now Tullow oil trapped in Turkwel water wars – Weekly Citizen

A section of leaders from the Pokot community have insisted that water from the Turkwel gorge, along rivers Suam and Kanyangareng to its source must benefit the community following reports that Tullow Oil Company plans to draw water from the dam and fill the oil wells in Turkana once emptied.

MP Samuel Moroto

The leaders led by Kapenguria MP Samuel Moroto, Senator Samuel Poghisio, Stephen Koliamuk, John Lodinyo, Denis Kapchok, together with former MP Julius Murgor claimed that last year, West Pokot governor John Lonyangapuo allegedly travelled to South Africa and signed an agreement with Governor Josphat Nanok, Tullow Oil leadership and Kerio Valley Development Authority to allow for Turkwel water dam to be siphoned to fill the oil wells in Turkana where oil is being pumped out, without consulting Pokot leaders.

Governor Nanok

A human rights activist Denis Kapchok said that when he raised an alarm over the matter many dismissed him while praising Governor Lonyangapou for “bringing investors from South Africa to West Pokot county”.
One year later, Kapenguria legislator Samuel Moroto raised a alarm about the issue.
Reports say that Turkwel Dam management committee hosted engineers who were surveying the land to draw a design of the project to siphon the water to Ngamia 1 and other oil wells without the community’s consent and public participation.
Speaking to the press in Kapenguria, Moroto said no single leader has been involved including the professionals and community members in any consultations over the issue. They claimed that it was only one man who had decided to sell the community birthright.

The Pokot community claimed that Tullow Oil has given over 2,000 overseas scholarships to Turkana children, one of the beneficiaries is William Ntoina whom Governor Nanok has employed as director of investment and cooperative development in Turkana county after he studied in London.
The community leaders said that as long as Pokot children from West Pokot and Amudat district have not benefitted from Tullow Oil and other projects such as scholarships, hospitals, schools, bridges, environmental conservation measures and other activities, no single drop of water will go to Turkana.
The leaders said they need an agreement on how they can share revenue accrued from the oil wells.
Kapchok said he had taken the matter to Kitale Land and Environment Court as public interest matter under Judicial Review Case number 3 of 2019, a ruling will be made on October 3 2019.