About the project
Rich in natural resources and biodiversity, Kamnarok (Western Kenya) in the past decade has been attracting the interests of both oil companies and conservation agencies. But amidst these competing interests, local communities’ needs have been forgotten and their rights have been crushed.
The initial oil exploration activities were conducted by the company Tullow Oil Plc. In 2015, the license to conduct oil and gas exploration in this area (known as Block 12A) was transferred to the UK-based Delonex Energy Limited. In 2013, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) – the World Bank’s private sector’s arm – invested US$60 million in equity to support Delonex’s oil and gas exploration in East and Central Africa.
On paper, IFC requires its clients to inform affected communities about the project’s impacts and engage with local stakeholders. In Kamnarok, however, Delonex started conducting oil and gas exploration activities in the area without any prior consultations, and instead pushed forward its project with coercive and threatening practices. The Environmental and Social Impact Assessment report, for instance, stated that some community members had attended consultation meetings, although this was not the case. Moreover, some community members were lured into signing compensation forms without being able to check the exact terms and conditions.
Another key concern is that oil companies destroyed their crops and properties, providing little or no compensation. They also didn’t dispose of the explosives used properly, so some explosives are still around the farms. The explosives have also caused serious damage to the territory, including sinking of the terrain and dried wells.
About the community-led struggle
In 2019, the Kerio Valley Community Organization (KVCO) – on behalf of local communities – submitted a complaint to the IFC’s accountability mechanism CAO (Compliance Advisor Ombudsman).
In the complaint, community’s members raised concerns about the lack of information, failure to address project risks, breach of the IFC Sustainability Framework, and impacts on their land, livelihoods, and the environment. The CAO facilitated a series of meetings between the community members and the companies involved, but the dispute resolution process didn’t lead to any agreement. In 2022, the CAO opened another process, to evaluate whether an investigation into IFC’s compliance was needed. Since then, however, the process got stuck and the community has been left in the dark.
Collaborating with the CRE, KVCO has been helding community meetings to continue demanding respect for their rights, seeking accountability, and documenting the impacts of the oil exploration activities.
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