Kenya: President Kenyatta Launches Crude Oil Export Program

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta launched a pilot program for the export of crude oil on Sunday (June 3rd) in Lokichar in the north-west of the country.
“My government will focus on the development of our gas and oil sectors for the benefit of the economy and the people,” said the head of state quoted in a statement from the presidency. And to indicate that this launch “marks the beginning of a long and fruitful journey”.
Initially announced to begin in June 2017, this biannual program plans to transport some 2,000 barrels a day by truck to the port of Mombasa from oil wells in northwestern Kenya. The delay of its launch is due to disagreements on the sharing of the oil revenues which would come from these exploitable reserves estimated at 560 million barrels, and discovered by Tullow Oil, also in charge of the exploitation.
But the central government and local authorities have reached an agreement that allocates 75 percent of revenue to the government, 20 percent to Turkana County (Rift Valley Province) and 5 percent to local communities. “We now have an understanding that can put Kenya on the map of oil exporting countries,” Kenyatta said in a statement released last May.
“We will intensify our exploration efforts not only in Turkana, but in the rest of the country now that we have a legal instrument that can help guide the management of oil and gas in our republic,” he said. .