The Influence of Oil Exploration on the Livelihoods of the Turkana Community: a Study of Tullow Oil Company in Lokichar Location of Turkana South Sub-county
Abstract
This study was set to investigate the interactions around oil and the effects on household livelihoods in the pre-export period. Its objectives were: to determine how oil exploration has affected Turkana pastoralism; the effect on the livelihoods of individuals; forms and types of benefits to the people, and the community perceptions of the key oil players - the government and Tullow oil company. The study was limited to the period before commencement of commercial oil production.
The study was conducted in five villages in the greater Lokichar: Lokichar, Kapese, Kamarese, Kasuroi, and Lomokamar. A descriptive research design was used in this study. The sample size was the 120 household heads living in the five settlements. The data was collected through household surveys, key informant interviews, and observation. The research’s main findings were that: The respondents had knowledge of the oil drilling company but they were apprehensive that the information they obtained was not fully transparent. There was a lot of publicity by the county government, national government and the oil drilling company which enabled many people to have knowledge about the oil exploration at different phases. The interim benefits the company had provided to the community had transformed the lives and access to services to a scale never seen before in Turkana. The investments in piped water, schools, roads, and health facilities had transformed the region. The area for the first time was connected to the telecommunications network, a development that the residents could not have imagined before 2012. The rapid growth of the settlements within the short period after 2012 had a negative effect on pastoralism due to the depletion of vegetation and soil erosion around the settlements. In addition, some riverine pasture and migration routes became inaccessible as they fell within the oil drilling zone. Herders trekked longer distances to access grazing fields. The study recommends that: The Lokichar community be allocated a special fund over and above the county share of the oil revenue; the settlements be planned in order to regulate their growth; environmental education be done; and the local community given first priority when employment opportunities emerge.
Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
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