Victims of the devastating 2015 oil spill in Thange, Makueni County, are once again facing uncertainty after the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) filed an appeal against a court ruling that had ordered it to pay Sh2.9 billion in compensation to the 3,075 residents.
10 years since the spill contaminated local water sources and wreaked havoc on livelihoods, many Thange residents say they are still grappling with long-term health complications, loss of income, and a lack of justice. Tensions have escalated following the government’s ongoing plans to privatize KPC — the very company at the heart of the environmental disaster.
“The pain of the people has been forgotten,” said Makueni Senator Daniel Maanzo, speaking at the funeral of Emmanuel Nyamasyo, a young man believed to have died from complications linked to the toxic spill.
Maanzo criticized the government’s inaction and accused authorities of sidelining the affected community.
“The oil spilled and polluted our water. Many people suffered. We went to court and won the case — but now, it has gone to appeal. Shortly after the judgment, the process to sell Kenya Pipeline began,” Maanzo said. “The people of Thange were not consulted. We are demanding that no sale should proceed until these victims are fully compensated.”
Local anger is mounting, with residents claiming that the ongoing health crisis in the region is being ignored. The number of deaths reportedly linked to the spill continues to rise.
At Nyamasyo’s funeral, his grieving father shared the family’s years-long struggle.
“My son lived with chronic pain for years. We spent millions on treatment, and even paid into the Social Health Insurance Fund (SHA), but it wasn’t enough. He still died.”
He called on the government to urgently clean up the contaminated Thange River and provide proper medical support for affected residents.
“Many more are still suffering, and we can’t afford to keep losing our people,” he said.
The court’s initial ruling in favor of the victims was hailed as a breakthrough moment for environmental justice in Kenya. Now, with the appeals process underway and the looming privatization of KPC, Thange residents fear their long-awaited justice may never come.
