Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has thrown a massive spanner into the works of Kenya’s “First Oil” ambitions, labeling the recently tabled Turkana Field Development Plan (FDP) a high-level heist designed to benefit “dealers, not leaders.”
In a scathing critique that has rattled the Ministry of Energy, Sifuna – who also serves as the ODM Secretary General – warned that the 25-year contract with Gulf Energy is a “ticking time bomb” that will leave Kenyans with dry pockets while billions in oil revenue are siphoned off.
The “Masked Ownership” Allegation
At the heart of Sifuna’s alarm is the rapid-fire change of hands at Gulf Energy, the company that took over from Tullow Oil in July 2025. According to the Senator, the firm’s ownership structure shifted multiple times in a matter of weeks – and in some instances, days – right before the government approved the development plan.
“The ownership of the company changed hands like a hot potato,” Sifuna claimed. “Any lawyer will tell you that this is symptomatic of attempts to mask the real faces behind the deal. It is telling that the government approved this FDP just days after the final ownership reshuffle.”
The 85% “Recoverable Cost” Trap
Perhaps the most shocking revelation in Sifuna’s dossier is a silent amendment made to the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) on November 25, 2025.
The Senator alleges that the “maximum recoverable cost” – the percentage of oil revenue the company takes back to cover its expenses before the government gets a cent – was quietly hiked from 55% to a staggering 85%.
“They have redefined ‘capital expenditure’ to include everything from labor and fuel to hauling and decommissioning,” Sifuna explained. “By the time they are done recovering these inflated costs, there will be nothing left for the people of Turkana or the rest of Kenya. We are being served a shell of a deal.”
Exempt from Local Content?
Sifuna further accused the government of “cleverly” exempting Gulf Energy from the Local Content Bill, which was recently passed by the Senate to ensure Kenyan firms and workers get a slice of the pie in major projects.
By bypassing these regulations, the Senator argues that the project will rely on foreign supplies and labor, further disenfranchising the local community in South Lokichar who have waited over a decade for the “black gold” to change their lives.
Public Participation: The Final Battleground
The Senate Standing Committee on Energy has officially invited the public to submit memoranda on the FDP and the associated contracts for Blocks T6 and T7. The deadline for feedback is set for Friday, January 16, 2026.
Sifuna has urged Kenyans not to be silent spectators in what he calls “Ruto’s biggest scandal yet.”
“Parliament is being used to rubber-stamp a deal that effectively auctions our natural resources to mysterious entities. If we don’t stop this now, the oil in Turkana will be a curse, not a blessing,” he warned.
The timing of this alarm is critical. With Energy CS Opiyo Wandayi pushing for “First Oil” by late 2026, the government is in a race against time. However, if Sifuna’s allegations of “dealers in government” gain traction, the project could face the same legal and political headwinds that stalled Tullow Oil for 14 years.
The post “Ruto’s Biggest Scandal Yet”: Senator Sifuna Blows the Whistle on Multi-billion Dollar Turkana Oil Deal appeared first on Bossnana.
