Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has ignited a political firestorm, accusing President William Ruto of hijacking the long-awaited Turkana oil project to serve “narrow, selfish interests” under the guise of national development. Speaking on the floor of the Senate on Monday, Sifuna alleged that the newly tabled Field Development Plan (FDP) is not a roadmap to prosperity, but a “cleverly disguised extraction scheme” designed to benefit a select group of political elites rather than the Kenyan public.

The controversy centers on the sudden restructuring of the project’s ownership. With British multinational Tullow Oil exiting the stage, the entry of Gulf Energy—a local firm set to acquire Tullow’s stake for $120 million (approx. KES 15.6 billion)—has raised red flags. Sifuna contends that the deal’s architecture has been altered to favor insiders, bypassing the rigorous scrutiny required for a project requiring a massive $6.1 billion (approx. KES 793 billion) capital injection.

The ‘State Capture’ Allegation

“We are being told this is a breakthrough for Kenya, but when you lift the veil, you see the fingerprints of state capture,” Sifuna told the Senate Energy Committee. He questioned how a local consortium could shoulder the financial burden of a project that overwhelmed a global giant like Tullow, suggesting that the state might be secretly underwriting the risk while private individuals harvest the profits.

The Senator’s outburst comes as the Senate Standing Committee on Energy, chaired by Senator Wahome Wamatinga, formally invited the public to submit memoranda on the FDP. The document, which details the commercial development of six oil discoveries in the South Lokichar Basin, is the final key to unlocking Kenya’s petrodollar dream. However, Sifuna warns that rushing its ratification before the January 16, 2026 deadline would be “legislative malpractice.”

• The Buyout: Gulf Energy’s acquisition of Tullow’s assets for KES 15.6 billion.
• The Investment: A required KES 793 billion to reach full production.
• The Timeline: Government targets ‘First Oil’ by December 2026.

A Decade of Deferred Dreams

For the residents of Turkana, this political wrestling match is a bitter reminder of broken promises. Since the first discovery of oil in 2012, the project has been bogged down by logistical nightmares, security concerns, and global price fluctuations. The transition from the Early Oil Pilot Scheme (EOPS)—which saw crude trucked to Mombasa—to full commercial production has been perpetually delayed.

Turkana leaders, including Senator James Lomenen, have threatened to block any oil transport until the government honors its infrastructure pledges. “We demand proper roads before any oil leaves Turkana,” Lomenen warned earlier this year, adding a layer of volatility to an already fragile situation. The proposed FDP promises community revenue sharing, but trust in the national government’s ability to distribute these funds equitably remains at an all-time low.

The Clock is Ticking

Energy Cabinet Secretary Opiyo Wandayi has defended the deal, describing the FDP approval as a “transformative economic milestone” that will transition Kenya from exploration to production. The government argues that the entry of a local strategic partner keeps the wealth within Kenyan borders. Yet, analysts caution that without the technical muscle of a global major, the ambitious December 2026 production target may be a mirage.

As the Senate prepares to grill Ministry officials, the question remains: Is this the dawn of Kenya’s oil age, or another chapter in a saga of elite predation? Sifuna’s ultimatum was clear: “If we sign this document as it is, we are not signing a deal for Kenya; we are signing a cheque for a few individuals in Karen.”