Halted Kenya's early oil plan could cost taxpayers dearly

Kenya has suspended its early oil pilot scheme until Parliament passes the Petroleum Bill sometime in September. PHOTO | FILE

Kenya’s efforts to become the first East Africa nation to export crude oil have been halted by a series of setbacks to the country’s early oil pilot scheme (EOPS).

The government described the scheme as a key strategic project under the Vision 2030 blueprint, but it has now shelved it due to reasons ranging from security concerns due to bandit attacks to safety risks because of poor infrastructure, poor planning and lack of regulatory backing.