| Abstract |
Geothermal projects are globally known to experience challenges associated with failures in engagement of host communities or lack of prioritization of the same from the onset of the project timeline. Strong Community Engagement Strategy deemed an indispensable tool for effective engagement of host communities and stakeholders in geothermal projects. Prior involvement and sustained collaboration have a resultant benefit of cost effectiveness, advantage of de-risking, and keeping project development on-track thereby creating a shared value for all parties involved. Kenya Electricity Generating Company (KenGen), is largest power generator in Kenya, with over 500 MWe installed capacity of geothermal power at Olkaria near Naivasha. Olkaria is also a home to the host Maasai community where the Company has previously encountered strained relations with the host Maasai community over socioeconomic and cultural issues associated with KenGen geothermal projects. The constraints have resulted to delays, cost overruns, and even project cancellations where costly responsive decisions while the Company continued to pursue sustainable approach that would offer a final solution to similar challenges. The best approach to addressing community engagement challenges was finally drawn from the recent New Zealand and Kenya exchange programme held both in New Zealand and recently in Kenya. The partnership programme brought together the Maori and Maasai communities from the two countries, through facilitation by Power Africa and its partners, the United States Energy Association (USEA) and the Geothermal Energy Association (GEA). It culminated into a proactive engagement of participants through joint open discussions, situation analysis, separate breakout sessions involving the two indigenous communities and respective geothermal producing companies, site visits and general observations. The participants of all genders from Maasai Olkaria community included leaders, youths, women, the senior members with cultural memories of the community. The participants identified challenges, failures, and successes experienced by both KenGen and the local Maasai community. Strategic actions and vision were proposed that engender mutual benefits and shared values. Thereafter community formulated their vision-2050 while KenGen formulated Value based system to anchor community engagement strategy borrowing from best practices learnt from New Zealand and the findings of the 1-week exchange programme. The strategy has since been approved by KenGen with expectations that it will ensure sustainable partnership and safeguards the Company against risks, costly legal suits, project delays and civil disturbances while fostering interests of the host community. The paper recommends, implementation and continuous review of now developed Community engagement strategy. |