Kenya’s dream of being an oil exporter oil may come true in 2017

Kenya will start exporting oil to other countries in June next year.

During President Uhuru Kenyatta’s meeting with Tullow Oil Chief Operating Officer Paul McDade in State House, Nairobi it was discussed that immense progress was being made in the commercial exploitation of oil.

 ‘Initially 2000 barrels will be produced per day. Tullow Oil is committed to aggressive exploration that will see at least eight more wells drilled in North Lokichar to scale up production. This will take the mean recoverable resources to over a billion barrels per year, from the current estimated 600 million barrels,’ Mr. McDade said.

The president was also briefed that the oil would be transported by road from Lokichar in Turkana County to Mombasa where it would be shipped to other buying countries.

Further, Energy Cabinet Secretary Charles Keter said that the construction of a pipeline to transport oil from Lokichar to Lamu Port is still on course.

President Kenyatta called for a speedy construction of the pipeline so that Kenya’s economy could benefit fully from the project.

‘Kenya has to be the top oil exporter in the region and the globe as well,’ said the optimistic president.

The meeting that took place on Wednesday was also attended by the State Department of Petroleum Principal Secretary Andrew Kamau, Tullow Oil Vice-President and East Africa Regional Manager Gary Thompson and Country Manager Martin Mbogo.

US Secretary John Kerry visits Africa with a message of fighting radical ideologies

US Secretary of State John Kerry has held bilateral talks with Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta in a bid to discuss issues of political unrest, good governance and counterterrorism in South Sudan and Somalia.

During the talks in State House Nairobi Kerry said that terrorism is a cancer in the East African region and government leaders needed to combine forces to eradicate radicalization.

‘Violence extremism is a challenge we face together and it is remains a global obstacle. Al Shabaab may have had its start in Somalia but it does not care about international borders. Terrorists are a regional threat and they demand a regional response,’ said Secretary Kelly.

‘We need to ensure that Africa Union Mission in Somalia AMISOM has the resources in order to conduct in partnership with Somalia a sustained and relentless drive against Al Shabaab. This will ensure when a terrorist flees an area they are never able to return. We have to ensure we secure our borders and share intelligence,’ he added.

President Kenyatta urged the US and the international community to continue engaging in the Horn of Africa country proactively to sustain the stabilization efforts.

Kenyatta expressed optimism that following the endorsement of the electoral calendar by the National Leadership Forum, Somalia will stick to the election time frame which will culminate in the election of a President on October 30. 

Kenyatta shared with Secretary Kerry that the recent violent skirmishes in Juba have serious implications for the implementation of the Peace Agreement signed in August 2015.

Kerry appealed to the warring parties of South Sudan to implement the peace deal of August 2015 and that a force would be deployed in South Sudan capital Juba to help in returning the peace in the area.

On behalf of other foreign affairs ministers in the East African region, Kenya’s Ambassador Amina Mohammed said they had reached a consensus that a protection force be deployed in Juba.

‘The US will provide $138 million to South Sudan to purchase food supplies, water and medicine. However this aid will not be long term,’ said Secretary Kerry.

Secretary Kerry called on Kenya to hold peaceful polls and avoid the 2007/2008 situation of post-election skirmishes.

‘The US has set aside $25million to support Kenya’s 2017 polls. We want to support your electoral processes and strengthen your operations. The US is a neutral country and does not hold favour or bias against any political party in Kenya,’ advised Kerry.

Secretary Kerry leaves Kenya on Tuesday morning and will be headed to Nigeria in his bid to continue his counter terrorism mission in Africa.

He is expected to hold bilateral talks with Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari and they will both deliberate on issues on fighting Boko Haram militants found in the latter’s country as well as other West African States.

New law to boost mining industry, says CS Kazungu

Mining Cabinet Secretary Dan Kazungu has said new laws on mining will move away from the traditional Corporate Social Responsibility model of engagement with communities and move towards the more comprehensive Community Development Agreements.

‘This will ensure that the communities are involved by mining companies to address issues that directly affect them. Both parties will hold dialogue to agree on what development projects will be carried out to suit the communities’ needs,’ said Kazungu on Wednesday during a stakeholders engagement on the draft mining regulations and guidelines.

Kazungu said that the new regulations are revolutionary in making Kenya an attractive destination for mining.

‘This will enhance the country's competitiveness globally by providing a stable, predictable and transparent investment climate for exploration and mining companies,’ said the Cabinet Secretary.

‘For the first time in this nation’s history there will be a clear framework for management of artisanal mining in Kenya,’ he explained.

 On the 1^st of April 2016 the Minerals and Mining Policy was passed by Cabinet and is ready for submission to Parliament for adoption. 

On the 6^th of May the President assented to the Mining Bill 2016 effectively repealing the 1940 legislation. 

According to the CS the 27^th of May 2016 marked the commencement of the Mining Act 2016.

Mining contributes only 1% to the Gross Domestic Product GDP of Kenya.