The State Department for Petroleum provides leadership in the management of the Oil and Gas sector in Kenya
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The Government has intensified efforts to accelerate the implementation of the South Lokichar Oil Project, with a high-level delegation led by the Principal Secretary for Petroleum, Mr Kello Harsama, CBS, conducting a fact-finding and progress assessment visit to the project sites in Turkana South & East Sub-Counties, Turkana County.
The visit, undertaken ahead of the planned Presidential First Oil Flagship event on 1st December 2026, by His Excellency, President @WilliamsRuto, provided an opportunity to assess the project's implementation status, establish progress made on the ground & identify areas requiring further intervention to ensure readiness for the historic milestone.
The Principal Secretary @harsama_kello , who was accompanied by the Director General of the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (@EPRA_KE ), Eng. Edward Kinyua, the State Department's Secretary, Administration, Mr. Mohamed Birik, & other senior officials from the State Department for Petroleum, EPRA and @GulfEnergyKE reaffirmed the Government's commitment to providing the necessary support to facilitate the timely delivery of the project.
He emphasized that the Government remains firmly committed to addressing outstanding project requirements, particularly infrastructure development and land compensation, noting that substantial resources have already been committed to facilitate implementation.
The PS @harsama_kello, disclosed that the Ministry had disbursed KSh 200 million in June for compensation of Project-Affected Persons (PAPs) & a further KSh 96 million earlier this month for land compensation for the Kapese Operations Hub & airstrip. Additionally, he confirmed that as at yesterday, the ministry approved the disbursement of KSh 2.5 billion to the National Land Commission (@NLC_Kenya ) to facilitate the settlement of outstanding land compensation claims, a critical component in advancing the project’s undertaking.
PS @harsama_kello further underscored the importance of effective public communication and stakeholder engagement, urging Gulf Energy to strengthen its public relations efforts & maintain consistent, transparent communication with the local community.
He noted that meaningful community participation & access to accurate project information are essential to building public confidence, fostering local ownership, & securing the support required for the project's successful implementation.
The Government's continued engagement with the project developer & relevant institutions underscores its determination to resolve outstanding implementation challenges, strengthen coordination among stakeholders, & sustain momentum towards delivering the South Lokichar Oil Project.
The planned 1st December 2026 First Oil milestone represents a significant step in Kenya's ambition to unlock its petroleum resources, advance the development of the upstream petroleum sector & translate the country's oil potential into tangible national & local economic benefits.
@EPRA_KE @GulfEnergyKE
The State Department has made significant progress towards finalising the Career Guidelines/Scheme of Service for Technical Personnel, an important initiative aimed at strengthening the management & development of technical human resources within the petroleum sector.
Speaking in Naivasha during the exercise, the Principal Secretary @harsama_kello , CBS, noted that the guidelines will provide a clear & structured framework for career progression, professional development, recruitment, promotion, & succession planning for technical officers.
The framework is expected to address existing gaps in career progression & ensure that technical personnel are appropriately recognised & supported in line with their qualifications, skills, competencies and experience.
The PS urged the officers involved in the exercise to approach the task with professionalism, integrity & a strong sense of responsibility, noting that a well-structured career framework must be guided by fairness, merit and the long-term needs of the petroleum sector.
He further reminded the officers that the success of the framework would depend on its effective implementation, urging them to ensure that the final document is comprehensive, objective & aligned with the Department’s mandate & institutional priorities.
@PSCKenya
The Principal Secretary @harsama_kello, CBS, has today appeared before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Energy during a Budget Implementation Oversight Retreat in Naivasha, chaired by Hon. Gikaria, MP for Nakuru Town East.
The engagement focused on reviewing budget implementation, assessing progress across the petroleum sector & deliberating on ongoing programmes, implementation priorities & the utilisation of resources in advancing Kenya’s petroleum agenda.
The Principal Secretary was accompanied by the Commissioner for Petroleum, Mr Joseph C. Otieno, Senior Chief Finance Officer, CPA Dismus Ogot, & other senior officials from the State Department.
@NAssemblyKE @EPRA_KE
The Ministry, led by the Cabinet Secretary @OpiyoWandayi, EGH,who was accompanied by the Principal Secretary @harsama_kello, CBS, Commissioner Petroleum, and other senior ministry officials, has today reviewed the implementation status of the South Lokichar Oil Project, with a focus on infrastructure development, financing obligations, production timelines & preparations for the commencement of oil exports.
The review forms part of the 4-day retreat bringing together the Senate Standing Committee on Energy & the Ministry of Energy & Petroleum, chaired by Senator William Kisang’ Kipkemoi,CBS , held in Mombasa County.
Being the second day of the retreat, Key areas of discussion included the project’s Final Investment Decision (FID), procurement of production facilities & equipment, & the timelines for achieving first oil & commercial exports. These considerations are central to assessing the project’s readiness for implementation & its potential contribution to Kenya’s petroleum sector.
Further discussions focused on arrangements for land acquisition, compensation & the enforcement of local-content commitments. These issues were termed critical to ensuring that project implementation considers the needs of host communities while promoting local participation in the petroleum value chain.
The retreat provides a platform for the stakeholders to review key policy & implementation issues affecting the petroleum sector, strengthen legislative oversight & identify measures to support the responsible development of Kenya’s petroleum resources.
@EPRA_KE @NationalOilKE @RERECMashinani @nuclearkenya @Senate_KE
The Principal Secretary, @harsama_kello CBS, has called on county security teams to strengthen enforcement of petroleum laws & regulations to protect lives, property & the integrity of the petroleum supply chain.
Speaking during the opening of a sensitisation workshop bringing together the Energy & Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA) & County Security Committees, held in Nairobi, the PS underscored the need for coordinated action among national & county government agencies to address safety risks in the petroleum & Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) sectors.
He urged the County Security Committees to work closely with local administrators, community leaders & industry players to identify risks, educate the public on the dangers of illegal fuel storage, unsafe LPG installations & unlicensed petroleum businesses.
The PS further highlighted that community engagement should prioritise prevention & encourage residents to report suspected violations to the relevant government authorities.
The PS also implored all participating institutions to translate the workshop's deliberations into practical action at the county level, noting that effective enforcement, public awareness & inter-agency collaboration are essential to preventing incidents, safeguarding communities & promoting responsible growth in the petroleum sector.
@EPRA_KE @PIEA_official
The PS @HarsamaKello has today appeared before the Special Funds Accounts Committee of the National Assembly chaired by Hon. Fatuma Mohamed, Member of the National Assembly, Migori County to respond to the examination of the Reports of the Auditor-General on the financial statements of the Petroleum Development Levy Fund for the financial years 2022/2023, 2023/2024 & 2024/2025.
The engagement forms part of Parliament’s oversight role in promoting accountability, transparency & prudent management of public resources.
The PS was accompanied by the Commissioner Petroleum, Joseph Otieno,Senior Chief Finance Officer,Dismus Ogot, Senior Deputy Accountant General, Veronica Kamau and other senior officers from the department during the committee session.
@NAssemblyKE
The Principal Secretary, Kello Harsama, CBS, today officially opened the Strategic Leadership, Governance, Ethics, Risk & Compliance Executive conference for Kenya’s Energy Sector held in Mombasa, organized by the Institute of Certified Secretaries.
Spearheading discussions on strengthening leadership, governance, risk management & institutional performance across the sector, The PS emphasised that public resources are held in trust for the people of Kenya & must be managed with the highest standards of integrity, accountability & responsibility. He urged leaders to exercise self-discipline & resist the temptation to use public resources to address personal needs.
He noted that strong governance begins with a clear understanding of this responsibility, calling on participants to use the programme to reflect, share experiences & strengthen practices that promote ethical leadership, prudent resource management & resilient public institutions.
The conference brings together senior leaders in the energy sector to strengthen their capacity in leadership, governance, ethics, risk management &compliance, areas that are critical to effective decision making & institutional performance.
@ICS_Kenya @EPRA_KE @KenGenKenya
KSh2.2 trillion Lamu refinery breaks ground, set to transform regional petroleum sector.
President @WilliamsRuto and @AlikoDangote today presided over the groundbreaking of the KSh2.2 trillion Dangote East Africa Petroleum Refinery in Lamu, marking a major milestone in the development of East & Central Africa’s petroleum sector.
With a planned capacity of 700,000 barrels per day, the refinery will be the largest in East & Central Africa, significantly expanding the region’s refining capacity, strengthening energy security & reducing dependence on imported refined petroleum products.
The integrated complex will also feature a 1,000MW power plant, fertiliser & chemical manufacturing & a plastics factory, creating new opportunities across the petroleum, energy & industrial value chains.
The project is expected to create 60,000 direct jobs during construction, attract investment, build local technical expertise & accelerate the transformation of the LAPSSET Corridor into a major regional industrial hub.
For the petroleum sector, the refinery represents a significant step towards greater value addition, expanded refining capacity and deeper integration of the region’s petroleum value chain.
State Department for Petroleum retweeted
Site visit and inspection of the planned East Africa Oil Refinery in Lamu ahead of tomorrow’s groundbreaking ceremony, to be presided over by President William Ruto and Aliko Dangote, Group President and Chief Executive of Dangote Group.
The site is ready for the groundbreaking of the Sh2.2 trillion project, which will strengthen Kenya and the region’s petroleum sector, support industrial development, create jobs and unlock opportunities across the wider petroleum value chain.
@SDP_KE
The principal Secretary @harsama_kello , CBS, alongside Commissioner for Petroleum, R. Geol Joseph Otieno & Senior Chief Finance Officer , Dismus Ogot has today accompanied the Cabinet Secretary for Energy & Petroleum @OpiyoWandayi, EGH, at the fundraising ceremony for the infrastructure development of The Sawagongo Senior School, Siaya.
The infrastructure interventions are aimed at strengthening the school’s capacity to provide a secure & conducive learning environment for its growing student population which now has 2500 students.
Also in attendance was Homa Bay Governor, Hon. Gladys Wanga, DG William Oduol & Hon. Lilian Gogo, Among other Members of Parliament amd County Assembly .
@SawagongoHigh @HomaBayCountyKE @gladyswanga
