"New Report on Community Perceptions of Oil Exploration in Turkana County"

Between September and December 2014, Cordaid together with a coalition of Turkana-based civil society organizations (CSOs), carried out a qualitative baseline assessment in Turkana County to gain a better understanding of the perceived community impacts and benefits of oil exploration and related stakeholder dynamics. Through a participatory approach the baseline assessment marked the beginning of Cordaid’s engagement with stakeholders in the oil and gas sector in Turkana, including local communities, CSOs, the Turkana County Government, and oil companies such as Tullow Oil and CEPSA.

The research in fact was targeted at identifying and documenting the concerns, fears and hopes of “the smaller voices”, as stated by one respondent in reference to villagers and pastoralists, whose views are not often heard in the policy debates regarding oil development in Kenya.

Cordaid and local partners in this assessment are convinced that a more systematic, constructive and inclusive dialogue between local communities, government and oil companies is possible and urgently needed to prevent further social tensions and rent-seeking, and to contribute to sustainable development in Turkana County.