- Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna has accused the government of pushing through exploitative and secretive deals in the Turkana Oil project ahead of its approval
- Sifuna alleged that the ownership of Gulf Energy, the company set to produce the oil, changed names and hands multiple times within days, which he said was meant to conceal the real beneficiaries
- Sifuna claimed the production sharing contract was revised on November 25, 2025, to raise the maximum recoverable cost from 55% to 85%, a move he warned would sharply reduce Kenya’s oil revenue
Elijah Ntongai, an editor at TUKO.co.ke, has over four years of financial, business, and technology research and reporting experience, providing insights into Kenyan, African, and global trends.
Nairobi senator Edwin Sifuna has launched a fierce attack on the government over the Turkana Oil project.
Source: UGC
The senator has alleged a series of clandestine and exploitative deals in the lead-up to its approval.
In a detailed social media post, the senator alleged that the ownership of the production company, Gulf Energy, changed hands multiple times in a matter of “days,” a red flag he says masks the real beneficiaries.
Search option is now available at TUKO! Feel free to search the content on topics/people you enjoy reading about in the top right corner 😉
He further claimed that the production sharing contract was varied dramatically just days after the final ownership changes, significantly reducing Kenya’s potential revenue from its own oil.
“The current FDP was approved by government days after the last ownership changes… We don’t have leaders. We have dealers in government who don’t care about anything other than themselves,” Sifuna tweeted.
What are the specific allegations by Sifuna?
Sifuna stated that the ownership of Gulf Energy changed names and hands multiple times within weeks, even days.
“Your lawyer will tell you that’s symptomatic of attempts to mask real ownership,” he said, noting the government approved the final Field Development Plan immediately after the last change.
The senator alleged that on November 25, 2025, the original contract was varied to raise the “maximum recoverable cost” for the company from 55% to 85% of petroleum production.
“Kenyans will never see any real benefits from that oil,” the senator warned.
On the same day, he claims Clause 27(2)(b) was amended to broadly define “capital expenditure” to include labour, fuel, repairs, and hauling costs.
“We may basically never see a coin from our oil,” Sifuna warned, implying the company could claim almost all revenue as recoupable costs.
He pointed out that despite the Senate passing a Local Content Bill to ensure jobs and supplies benefit Kenyans, the current agreement with Gulf Energy has been crafted to be exempt from this legislation.
What is the official process for public participation?
The allegations emerge as the Senate is in the process of officially seeking public input on the project.
The Standing Committee on Energy has invited memoranda from the public on the Field Development Plan and Production Sharing Contracts for Blocks T6 and T7 in the South Lokichar Basin.
The invitation, signed by Clerk of the Senate J.M. Nyegenye, is pursuant to Article 71 of the Constitution, which requires parliamentary ratification for the exploitation of natural resources, and the Petroleum Act.
The documents, which outline the commercial development of six oil discoveries, infrastructure plans, and environmental safeguards, were tabled on November 27, 2025 and may be accessed on the Parliament website.
“Memoranda may be submitted to the Clerk of the Senate, P.O. Box 41842-00100, Nairobi; hand-delivered to the Office of the Clerk of the Senate, Main Parliament Buildings, Nairobi; or emailed to clerk.senate@parliament.go.ke with a copy to energycommittee.senate@parliament.goke, to be received on or before Friday, 16th January, 2026 at 5.00 pm,” read the notice by Senate.
The Turkana Oil project represents Kenya’s first major foray into commercial oil production, with the potential to significantly boost national revenue and energy security.
However, Sifuna’s allegations strike at the heart of the debate on natural resource governance.
The call for public participation is a critical constitutional step for citizens and stakeholders to scrutinize the fine print of the agreements before they are ratified by Parliament.
Source: Getty Images
Did Tullow Oil exit Kenya?
Tullow Oil agreed to exit the Kenyan market after signing a sale and purchase agreement to sell its entire stake in the Turkana oil project to Auron Energy E&P Limited, a subsidiary of Gulf Energy Ltd, for $120 million (about KSh 15.5 billion), marking the end of its more than decade-long involvement in the country.
The deal, executed through Tullow Overseas Holdings BV, involved the transfer of 100% of shares in Tullow Kenya BV, which held all the company’s interests in the South Lokichar Basin blocks 10BB, 13T and 10BA, including an estimated 463 million barrels of probable oil reserves.
Tullow’s exit followed years of stalled progress after discovering oil in 2012, as the project failed to reach commercial production due to financial pressure, regulatory delays, technical challenges, community issues, and the withdrawal of partners, leaving the British firm with little choice but to cut its losses and pull out.
Source: TUKO.co.ke
