Marsabit residents sue BP over toxic waste

A section of residents from Marsabit at Isiolo Environment Court, May 6, 2026. [Bruno Mutunga, Standard]

Residents of Kargi and Kalacha in Marsabit County have expressed optimism that they will finally get justice following the commencement of a lawsuit at the Environment and Land Court in Isiolo against BP PLC over alleged environmental pollution linked to oil exploration activities conducted in the 1980s.

The petition, filed by whistleblower Asuntah Galgitele alongside 298 other residents, accuses former oil exploration firm Amoco Corporation, later acquired by BP PLC in 1998, of improperly disposing of toxic and radioactive waste during drilling operations near Kargi and Kalacha in the Chalbi Desert.

The petitioners allege that hazardous waste contaminated underground water sources, leading to widespread illness, deaths and loss of livestock among local communities decades later.

Isiolo Law Courts. [Bruno Mutunga, Standard]

During the commencement of the case yesterday, Judge Oguttu Mboya directed that the petition be amended to include the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, which was responsible for overseeing oil exploration activities at the time. The court further ordered that the amended petition be served to all respondents within 14 days.

Lawyer for the petitioners, Kelvin Kubai, welcomed the court’s directions, saying the legal team was ready to proceed with the matter.

“We are satisfied with the directions issued by the court and we shall amend the petition to include the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum as directed. We believe all parties responsible must be held accountable,” said Kubai. 

Led by Asuntah Galgitele, Shamaboy Wario and Paul Galmagar, the petitioners claim the community has suffered for decades from increased cases of throat and stomach cancer allegedly linked to the toxic substances discharged during the exploration activities.

“Before the oil exploration activities, our people did not suffer from these strange cancer diseases. Today, almost every family has lost a loved one or sold property to pay hospital bills,” said Galgitele. 

The residents further stated that many families have been impoverished by the high cost of treatment, while hundreds of people and livestock have reportedly died over the years.

“Our community has suffered in silence for too long. We now hope this case will finally give us justice and force those responsible to clean up the environment and compensate affected families,” said Shamaboy Wario.

Among the orders sought by the petitioners is the establishment of an oncology hospital in the affected region to enable early diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients.

The matter will be mentioned again on May 21, 2026, at the court in Isiolo as the case proceeds to a full hearing and determination.