Governor Mutula Demands Sh100 Billion Bond From Kenya Pipeline Over Thange Oil Spill
Makueni Governor Mutula Kilonzo Jnr is demanding that the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) set aside a deposit bond of at least Sh100 billion to cover long-term environmental damage caused by an oil spill in Thange Village nearly a decade ago.
The call comes as residents of Thange, located in Kibwezi East Constituency, continue to suffer the devastating health and environmental effects of the May 2015 oil spill.
The spillage, which came from a suspected leak along the Mombasa–Nairobi pipeline, contaminated the Thange River and surrounding farmland, disrupting lives and livelihoods.
In a petition presented before the Senate Standing Committee on Energy chaired by Senator Dr. Oburu Odinga, Thange MCA Erick Musyoki Katumo described the deep impact of the spill. He said many farms are now unproductive and clean water is scarce due to suspected lead contamination.
“Our land is no longer arable, and our people are forced to buy vegetables and fruits from distant towns like Wote because of health concerns,” said one resident during the hearing.
Once a vibrant farming area, Thange Village relied on river water from the Chyulu Hills to grow crops like maize, kale, tomatoes, and watermelons.
Today, the community is battling increased cases of kidney failure, cancer, miscarriages among livestock, and widespread destruction of vegetation. At least five boreholes and wells have been closed due to pollution.
Governor Mutula said the oil has seeped as deep as 15 feet underground and warned that the situation is worsening.
“People are dying. Kidney failure and cancer cases are rising. KPC must take full responsibility. We are demanding a deposit bond of not less than Sh100 billion to secure future interventions,” he told the committee.
Senator Beatrice Ogolla warned that Thange could become uninhabitable within 40 years if nothing is done to reverse the environmental damage.
An independent taskforce formed by Governor Mutula has challenged earlier findings by KPC, which had claimed that the spill was minor and contained within a one-kilometer radius. Evidence now shows that the pollution spread downstream to Masongaleni Ward and beyond.
“River Thange flows through our homes. The contamination has gone far and wide,” said Masongaleni MCA Bryan Kyalo Nzoka.
When asked about compensation, a KPC environmental director told the committee that KSh38 million had been paid to 342 affected households.
But NEMA Director General Mamo Mamo said that monetary compensation is not enough and urged focus on environmental recovery, citing Article 42 of the Constitution, which guarantees the right to a clean and healthy environment.
John Mutuse, a NEMA board member and a native of Thange, added, “We must pursue long-term, generational solutions.”
Senator Daniel Maanzo, who hosted the committee session, said the Senate will summon KPC Managing Director Joe Sang to answer further questions, especially about residents living along the entire 42-kilometer stretch of the Thange River, some of whom may have to be relocated.