President Uhuru Kenyatta has announced that the production of oil from the Turkana oilfields will start without any hindrance after an agreement was reached on the sharing of revenue.
He said the revenue from oil will be shared on the basis of 75 percent for all Kenyans through the National Government, 20 percent to the county government and five percent will go to the local community.
The Head of State spoke after a deal was struck on the Petroleum (Exploration and Production) Bill specifically as regards to provisions for revenue sharing.
“We now have an understanding that can put Kenya on the map of oil exporting countries. We will intensify our exploration efforts not just in Turkana but in the rest of the country now that we have a legal instrument that can help guide how oil and gas will be handled in our republic,” said the President at State House, Nairobi.
The President was joined by Deputy President William Ruto and leaders from Turkana led by Governor Josphat Nanok.
Kenyatta thanked Nanok and the other leaders from Turkana for their initiative to find a quick resolution of the outstanding issues.
The governor said the leadership and the people of Turkana are now fully in support of the exploration and production of oil after the disagreements were resolved.
He said the Council of Governors, which he chairs, is also satisfied in how the issue was resolved.
“The impediment that the Turkana people were concerned with and even the council of Governors raised in its petition to Parliament has now been discussed and resolved,” said the governor on Saturday.
He said the leadership from Turkana will support the fast-tracking of the transportation of oil by road as well as the construction of the oil pipeline to Lamu Port.