The Executive has assured Parliament that transport infrastructure will not hinder crude oil production from the South Lokichar Basin in Turkana County, as it defended the Field Development Plan (FDP) and associated Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) for Blocks T6 and T7.

Appearing before the Joint Parliamentary Committees on Energy, Roads and Transport, Cabinet Secretary Davis Chirchir said Kenya is adequately prepared to evacuate oil once production begins, insisting that the country is “not starting from zero.”

The Senate has approved a list of Senators to serve on the Senate Business Committee during the Fifth Session, with lawmakers vowing to continue holding Governors across the country to account.

The Motion, tabled by Majority Leader Senator Aaron Cheruiyot (Kericho) and seconded by Minority Leader Senator Stewart Madzayo (Kilifi), was supported by Members who urged the Committee to prioritise issues affecting the welfare of ordinary Kenyans, particularly devolution.

Oil and gas experts have urged Parliament to amend the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) between the government and Gulf Energy E&P B.V over the Turkana oil project to require an independent audit of revenues, warning that the current framework exposes the State to opacity and inflated costs.

The experts proposed that the independent auditor incorporate representatives from the Office of the Auditor-General and the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) to enhance transparency and accountability.

The County Executive of Elgeyo Marakwet has been directed to improve how it accounts for biological assets, following concerns raised by the Senate County Public Accounts Committee (CPAC).

The directive was issued after Governor Wesley Rotich failed to satisfactorily explain how the county accounts for assets classified under the biological category, with the Committee noting that the current system lacks clear categorisation.

As the joint Committees of Finance and Public Debt continue to gather views from Kenyans on the impending sale of Government shares in Safaricom PLC, MPs have vowed to address all concerns raised with the matter before writing its report. 

Speaking in Vihiga County today, a delegation led by Hon. (Dr.) Daniel Manduku MP, (Nyaribari Masaba) has committed to ensure that views given to them on the proposed sale are extensively captured and addressed as expected of them by Kenyans.