Museveni to Talk to Suluhu Over Lamu Refinery as Uganda, Tanzania Push New Projects
Museveni said he would seek clarification on the circumstances surrounding the change of location as Uganda and Tanzania pursue their own plans to expand refining and petroleum infrastructure in the region.
Lamu, Kenya, 30th September – Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni will meet with Tanzania's President Samia Suluhu Hassan to discuss the relocation of the East African oil refinery from Tanzania's Tanga to Kenya's Lamu. The talks aim to understand the reasons behind the change as Uganda and Tanzania expand oil refining and petroleum infrastructure in the region.
Kenya formally began construction of a Sh2.2 trillion ($16 billion) refinery in Lamu, which will have a capacity of 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day. The facility, backed by Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, will serve Kenya and other regional markets. Museveni's discussions with Suluhu come after previous talks involving Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda on a regional refinery.
The refinery was initially planned in Tanga due to Uganda's oil infrastructure and the East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP). However, it later shifted to Lamu, where construction has commenced. Museveni urged the development of additional refining capacity in Uganda and Tanzania, emphasizing the need for East African countries to process crude locally and reduce their dependence on imported refined petroleum products.
Uganda is building a refinery in Hoima, and Tanzania and Uganda are considering a Tanga Regional Energy Hub, which would include refining, storage, logistics, trading, and distribution infrastructure. The shift to Lamu has positioned Kenya at the heart of a rapidly changing East African petroleum landscape. The Lamu refinery, along with the Tanga energy hub and Uganda's Hoima refinery, is transforming the region's petroleum infrastructure.
The developments could significantly impact regional competition and cooperation, benefiting Kenya's LAPSSET corridor and creating job opportunities.
Written by urgent.news from Capital FM Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
