Museveni’s Confession on Dangote’s Day

In a ceremony that drew attention from across East Africa, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, a prominent Nigerian businessman, laid the foundation stone for a $16 billion refinery complex in Lamu county, Kenya. The project, estimated to process about 700,000 barrels of crude oil daily, generate 1,000 megawatts of power, and produce 1 million tonnes of polypropylene annually, would create approximately 60,000 jobs during construction.

Dangote's appearance was accompanied by the warm praise of East African leaders, including President William Ruto of Kenya, who referred to Dangote as "their father." Among the East African leaders present were the Presidents of Kenya, Uganda, Benin, and Togo, along with Ethiopia's Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed. The event showcased Dangote's ability to bring together regional leaders, demonstrating the power of private capital in driving regional development.

President Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, a widely respected figure in East Africa, delivered a speech that touched on the continent's economic woes and the need for industrialization. He began his address by quoting Marxist terminology, referencing the "bourgeoisie, comprador, and proletariat" to criticize Africa's history of exporting raw materials while importing finished products.

Museveni expressed his satisfaction at seeing Dangote's contribution to reshaping Africa's economic narrative and demonstrated his calculations using coffee beans, cotton, and gold to emphasize the disparity in pricing between raw materials and finished products.

Museveni then outlined four points he wished to address during his speech. The first point focused on the potential of Uganda's own 'small' refinery in Hoima. The second point reiterated his support for the Lamu project but stated that he would not contribute financially until he received assurances from Tanzania regarding a previous plan for a refinery at Tanga.

His third point called for the formation of a political federation of East Africa, arguing that while foreign investments in Kenyan refineries would yield profits, they would not address the issue of job creation for Ugandans. Museveni's final point was a confession that Dangote had visited Uganda before but had not invested in any projects there, attributing this to bribes.