Fight over Turkana oil export route has split the Coast region, with Mombasa and Lamu counties locked in a high-stakes contest to host Kenya’s crude oil corridor to the Indian Ocean. At stake are billions in infrastructure investment, jobs, regional influence, and long-term economic power.
The Coast region has been thrown into sharp political and economic divisions as Mombasa and Lamu counties compete for the lucrative role of hosting the Turkana oil export route, exposing deep-rooted rivalries over infrastructure, development, and national priority projects.
The discovery of commercially viable oil in Turkana was widely seen as a turning point for Kenya’s economy. However, disagreements over the preferred oil pipeline corridor to the Indian Ocean have reignited long-standing competition between the two coastal hubs.
Leaders from Mombasa County argue that the city already possesses well-established infrastructure, including modern port facilities, storage terminals, transport networks, and skilled labour.
They insist that routing Turkana crude oil through Mombasa would require fewer upgrades, cost taxpayers less, and allow Kenya to begin exporting oil faster.
According to business groups in Mombasa, the county’s existing logistics ecosystem would significantly reduce operational risks while ensuring quicker returns for both the local economy and the national government.
On the other hand, Lamu County leaders maintain that the oil export route should pass through Lamu under the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport Corridor (LAPSSET) project.
They argue that channeling oil through Lamu would validate massive public investments already poured into the new port while unlocking economic growth in historically marginalized northern and coastal regions.
Supporters of the Lamu route say the project would create thousands of jobs, stimulate road and pipeline construction, boost tourism-linked infrastructure, and transform Lamu into a regional logistics and energy hub serving East Africa.
The dispute has increasingly spilled into political circles, with leaders trading accusations of favoritism, exclusion, and unequal development.
Some Coast residents fear the rivalry could weaken regional unity and reduce the Coast’s bargaining power at the national level. Others view the debate as a rare opportunity to demand transparency, fairness, and equitable sharing of oil revenues.
As the national government evaluates technical, security, and economic considerations, analysts warn that the final decision must strike a careful balance between cost efficiency and inclusive regional development.
How Kenya resolves the Turkana oil export route question may shape not only the Coast’s economic future, but also national cohesion and public trust in the management of natural resources.
