[PICTURE STORY] Kindiki heads to Lamu for Sh2.2tn refinery groundbreaking

NAIROBI, Kenya - Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has journeyed to Lamu for a significant event: the groundbreaking ceremony for a monumental Sh2.2 trillion refinery project. The East Africa Oil Refinery, backed by the influential Aliko Dangote and the Africa Finance Corporation, is a $17 billion endeavor.

The ambitious project, expected to process up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil daily, will transform Lamu into a key energy and petrochemical hub in Africa. Kindiki, who left Nairobi early on Wednesday, is en route to Manda Airport in Lamu, where President William Ruto is slated to officiate the groundbreaking ceremony later today.

The refinery, set to be constructed in the LAPSSET area in Magogoni, aims to reduce the region's reliance on imported petroleum products. Beyond energy, it is anticipated to stimulate manufacturing, logistics, and other industries, creating more than 50,000 jobs and bolstering the local economy. The groundbreaking ceremony marks the culmination of weeks of meticulous planning by both national and county governments, ensuring robust security and logistical arrangements for the high-profile event.

Regional leaders and senior government officials are anticipated to attend the ceremony, underscoring the project's significance on the African continent. Dangote has offered East African nations a combined 30 percent stake in the refinery, with Kenya receiving a 10 percent stake, while Rwanda and Ethiopia have also shown interest in participating in the regional shareholding.