Maasai strike against Olkaria ill-advised

I would like to appeal to the Maasai not to be used by politicians to demonstrate against the Olkaria project.

Politicians take matters of national importance for granted and for selfish gains. The Olkaria geothermal project comes with numerous benefits to the locals, contrary to what is being portrayed by a few incited protesters.

KenGen has done good work for the community, those whose land was taken were compensated and modern houses built for them. Schools, churches and dispensaries are some of the social amenities KenGen built for them.

And as an equal opportunity provider, KenGen has employed a good number of Maasai in various capacities and when allowed to effectively tap the abundant geothermal resources, more will get jobs.

Every year, KenGen offers scholarships to Maasai students and by this, the Maasai are today enlightened and joining the mainstream country's economic development, as opposed to their traditional cattle keeping, which today is under threat from the harsh weather conditions.

KenGen has really changed that area and I hope this great company will continue doing more for the community. And as KenGen promised, they are working on issues around welfare of the community. Let the community be assured that the KenGen I know will soon live up to the promise.

The few individuals inciting the community have not even taken one Maasai child to school, built them a dispensary or even donated to them a cattle dip.

And at the national level, the community should be educated to know that geothermal energy offers a solution to Kenya's power constraints that is both cost-effective and has great development potential.