Oil Exploration in Isiolo, Fears & Fortune
June 29th, 2008 | by mantrionline |The Chinese company exploring for oil in Isiolo District has intensified its search in two wells which have shown some promise
On April 11th 2008, China National Offshore Oil Company (CNOOC) held a handover ceremony of donation in Isiolo, Kenya, where CNOON oil operation working region is located. CNOOC donated desks and chairs as well as stationeries for two primary schools and promised to dig two water wells for the local communities with total value of US105,000 dollars. H. E. Mr. Zhang Ming, the Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, Mr. Song Ruilin, representative of CNOOC, Hon. Prof. Sam Ongeri, Minister for Education of Kenya, Mr. David M. Jakaiti, the Eastern Provincial Commissioner, and many other officials attended the ceremony.
Ambassador Zhang commended CNOOC as a company with strong sense of social responsibility, and encouraged more Chinese companies to join the cause of boosting the social and economic development of Kenya. Hon. Prof. Ongeri and PC. Mr. Jakaiti thanked CNOOC for good gesture, and assured that the Kenya side would provide every assistance and convenience for CNOOC’s exploration work in Isiolo district and other areas in Kenya.
We should not forget the impact of the oil exploration in Northern Kenya where the local communities suffered from diseases.
In the previous month,The stakeholders Dialoque session on oil exploration venture in Isiolo was conducted on the 27th February 2008 in Bomen hotel Isiolo town.
The meeting followed a proposal request by Waso Trust Land ( A member of KLA) to Kenya Land Alliance to help facilitate community and stakeholders level meeting.
The meeting was attended by 43 participants drawn from the community and Civil Society Organizations (CSOs). The Isiolo community was represented by Opinion leaders (Imams/), women, representatives, youth representatives and elected councilors. The CSOs representative participants were; Kenya Human Rights Commission, Kenya National commission on Human rights, Institute for law and Environmental Governance, Action Aid Kenya, RECONCILE, Kenya Land Alliance and Nema. The Other grassroots CSOs were; Waso Trust Land, Appeal, PREMAP, ENNDA,Range Land Users, Merti Intergrated development poject and Isiolo Human rights Network. Other stakeholders like County Council of Isiolo, Isiolo Chamber of Commerce , Damesa Association, ministry of Health, and journalists based in Isiolo also attended.
The program of the meeting had the morning session analyzing issues, concerns and fears. The participants felt the issues, concerns and fears could all be collapsed to be issues. The stakeholders who presented the issues were; community opinion leaders, councilors, Imams, women representatives, county council of Isiolo and Isiolo Chamber of Commerce.
The mid morning programme dwelled on best practices and lessons learnt presented by ILEG, KNCHR, KHRC and RECONCILE.
Afternoon session took the participants through possible interventions and Action Plan. The participants proposed activities that were doable and would move the grievances forward.
