Conservation groups oppose Lamu oil exploration

CS for Energy and Petroleum Opiyo Wandayi, during the launch of The Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) Foundation officially on April 7, 2025. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard] Conservationists have urged the government to halt plans to issue oil drilling licenses along the Indian Ocean, arguing that it will harm marine life and the ecosystem. While speaking in Lamu, three conservation groups-Save Lamu, Kenya Oil and Gas Working Group, and Natural Justice-announced their intention to take legal action to prevent the planned oil exploration in the area. Save Lamu's Somo Somo stated that the government plans to open ten new oil exploration blocks, of which eight are located along the Kenyan coastline. He said the move will increase plastic pollution since more than 99 per cent of plastic is made from chemicals derived from fossil fuels. "The fight against plastic is inseparable from the fight against fossil fuel expansion. We want clean energy, not oil rigs. We want development that honours our land, sea, and rights," said Somo. He said the decision to explore oil in the area was not subject to public participation, although locals will be affected by oil spills, pollution, and loss of livelihoods and culture. Muturi Kamau of the Kenya Oil and Gas Working Group said they oppose the project because of the dangers it poses to the environment. He said other groups opposed to the venture include Greenpeace Africa, Oilwatch Africa, and residents of Lamu Island, under the banner "Coastline Not Oil Line". "As an organisation, we stand united with communities and guardians of Lamu Island, where we emphasise the protection of the sensitive Lamu ecosystem and UNESCO World Heritage Site, and as we know, Lamu County has been under pressure to host various harmful energy sources, such as the coal-fired power plant whose fate hangs in court, the Lamu Lokichar Crude Oil Pipeline (LLCOP) and now oil exploration, where some areas have been demarcated for licensing," he said. He called on the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum to reconsider the oil exploration plans and seek to invest in renewable energy that is harmless to the ecosystem. "Plastics rely heavily on hydrocarbon resources and go against Kenya's commitments to climate action, and we are calling on the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum to come up with environmentally friendly clean energy sources," said Muturi. Ms Elizabeth Kariuki of Natural Justice wondered why the government was pushing for oil exploration, yet it had signed an international commitment to eradicate plastics by 2030. "Natural Justice stands in solidarity with Lamu communities because the health of our environment is directly tied to justice. You cannot claim to end plastic pollution while expanding fossil fuel exploration, where the struggles are interconnected. We must choose people, the planet, and a just future over profit and pollution," she said. Sherelee Odayar, an oil and gas campaigner at the Greenpeace Africa organisation, said that fossil oil exploration in Lamu threatened the UNESCO Heritage site and that the cultural significance of the Lamu Archipelago was on the verge of collapse if such harmful projects were allowed to take place. "The people of Lamu are not just resisting oil, but they are rising to protect their dignity, their heritage, and a future where progress respects the environment, and Kenya stands at a pivotal moment to lead Africa's just energy transition by embracing clean, community-driven solutions that uplift both people and planet. Hence, we call on leaders to listen deeply to the science and the voices of coastal communities defending their future, culture, and invaluable natural heritage," said Odayar.

Conservation groups oppose Lamu oil exploration

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