President William Ruto directs Kenya Pipeline Company to withdraw its court case and promises direct compensation payments to affected families.
President William Ruto has directed Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) to withdraw a case delaying Makueni oil spill compensation. The High Court awarded Sh3 billion to more than 3,000 affected residents.
Speaking in Machinery town, Kibwezi East, on Monday, October 27, Ruto said withdrawal would clear the way for payment. He issued the directive during his development tour of Ukambani.
Makueni oil spill compensation to reach families directly
Ruto said the government would pay affected families directly, warning intermediaries against seeking a share of their compensation. He also accused some brokers of collecting signatures while claiming law firms would handle the payments.
The President said those intermediaries would receive nothing from the compensation and pledged to prevent further delays. However, the directive does not itself confirm that KPC has withdrawn the case or that payments have begun.
The spill occurred on May 12, 2015, after a petroleum pipeline ruptured in Thange village. Fuel entered the River Thange basin, contaminating land and water sources.
Residents also lost livestock, crops and livelihoods, leaving families facing the lasting effects of the pollution. Reports indicated that some residents developed serious health complications, including liver and kidney problems.
Ruto seeks Kalonzo’s support for 2027
During the same tour, Ruto urged Ukambani residents to encourage Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka to support his re-election bid. Speaking at Tseikuru grounds, he recalled campaigning for Kalonzo in 1992 through Youth for Kanu.
He argued that Kalonzo should now return that political support in the 2027 General Election. Ruto also challenged opposition leaders to offer alternative policies on the economy, healthcare, water and infrastructure.
Meanwhile, Kibwezi West MP Mwengi Mutuse urged Kalonzo to cooperate with the government to advance regional development. Labour Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua also defended the administration’s record on distributing resources across the country.
Electricity projects target Makueni households
Earlier, Ruto launched a Sh75 million Last Mile Electricity Connectivity Project at Kathekani, targeting 530 households. He said projects worth Sh560 million would connect 4,250 households across Kibwezi East.
Across Makueni County, he added, the government had allocated Sh2.3 billion for connections targeting 22,000 homes.
Ruto also commissioned Kathekani Senior School, which has eight classrooms, four laboratories and two dormitory blocks. The school forms part of the Kenya Railways relocation programme linked to the Mombasa-Nairobi Standard Gauge Railway.
