Nairobi Senator and ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna has ignited a fresh political storm after raising the alarm over what he describes as the “biggest scandal yet” under President William Ruto’s administration — the controversial Turkana Oil Field Development Plan (FDP).
In a hard-hitting statement issued on Monday, Sifuna questioned the integrity of the multibillion-shilling oil project, accusing the government of rushing to approve the FDP amid what he termed suspicious and hurried ownership changes of the company set to produce oil in Turkana.
According to the senator, the firm currently listed as Gulf Energy — formerly Tullow Oil — underwent multiple name and ownership changes within weeks, and in some cases days, raising red flags about possible attempts to conceal its true beneficiaries.
“The ownership of the company that is to produce the oil changed names and hands multiple times in a matter of weeks — days even. Any competent lawyer will tell you this is symptomatic of attempts to mask real ownership,” Sifuna said.
“It is telling that the government approved the current FDP just days after the last ownership changes.”
Sifuna further claimed that the original petroleum production contract was quietly amended several times to the detriment of Kenyans, effectively ensuring that the country may never reap meaningful benefits from its own oil.
He singled out amendments allegedly made on November 25, 2025 — barely days after the final ownership changes — which dramatically raised the maximum recoverable cost for petroleum production from 55 per cent to a staggering 85 per cent.
“By increasing recoverable costs to 85 per cent, Kenyans will never see any real benefit from that oil,” he warned.
The senator also accused the government of widening the definition of capital expenditure under clause 27(2)(b) of the contract to include virtually everything — from labour, fuel, repairs and maintenance to hauling, supplies, materials and even future decommissioning costs.
In another explosive claim, Sifuna alleged that Gulf Energy had been deliberately exempted from the Local Content Bill, legislation meant to ensure oil companies prioritise Kenyan labour, goods and services.
“They have cleverly made the current agreement with Gulf exempt from such legislation,” Sifuna said.
“We don’t have leaders. What we have are dealers in government who don’t care about anything other than themselves.”
Sifuna’s remarks come as the Senate formally invited Kenyans to submit their views on the Turkana Oil FDP and the associated Production Sharing Contracts, in line with constitutional requirements on public participation.
In a public notice, the Senate Standing Committee on Energy called for written memoranda pursuant to Article 118 of the Constitution and Section 31(3) of the Petroleum Act.
Members of the public have until Friday, January 16, 2025, at 5.00 p.m. to submit their views to the Clerk of the Senate via post, hand delivery at Parliament Buildings, or by email — with copies also sent to the Energy Committee.
As pressure mounts, Sifuna’s explosive claims are now expected to intensify scrutiny of the Turkana oil deal, potentially setting the stage for one of the fiercest political and legal battles yet over Kenya’s natural resources.
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