Senate Leaders Call for Skills Audit Ahead of Proposed Lamu Oil Refinery

NAIROBI, Kenya - Senate Majority Leader Aaron Cheruiyot has called on political opponents to differentiate between political competition and genuine efforts to boost Kenya's economic development. In a speech at an economic empowerment forum in Uriri Constituency, Cheruiyot criticized the opposition for opposing government initiatives without presenting viable alternatives.

He urged political parties to utilize existing parliamentary procedures to inquire about the proposed Lamu Oil Refinery and other government projects, rather than adopting an outright stance of opposition.

Migori Senator Eddy Oketch echoed Cheruiyot's sentiments, calling upon county governments to collaborate with the national government to identify and prepare a skilled workforce that could benefit from job opportunities arising from the Lamu Oil Refinery project. Oketch stressed that counties should work alongside their senators to ensure that the project's employment benefits are maximized for local residents.

Construction of the refinery is already underway, with Lamu Port receiving thousands of metric tonnes of heavy machinery essential for the project. The MV Da Yang delivered 2,930 metric tonnes of equipment ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony, and another 400 equipment units are expected to arrive within the next 60 days. Dangote Group, the project's developer, has stated that the legal challenges surrounding the land allocation for the refinery will not hinder its progress, despite ongoing court proceedings.

The groundbreaking ceremony proceeded as planned, attended by President Ruto, Dangote, and other African leaders, marking a milestone in the project's timeline, which is set to be completed within 40 months.