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

NAIROBI,Kenya Sep 30 – Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has departed Nairobi for Lamu ahead of the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the proposed East Africa Oil Refinery, a Sh2.2 trillion project backed by Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote and the Africa Finance Corporation.

Kindiki left Nairobi early Wednesday morning and is travelling to Manda Airport in Lamu, where President William Ruto is expected to lead the groundbreaking ceremony later today.

The project, estimated at about $17 billion, is designed to process up to 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, making it one of the largest planned refinery projects in Africa and positioning Lamu as a major energy and petrochemical hub.

Kindiki has previously said the refinery is expected to create more than 50,000 jobs while reducing the region’s dependence on imported petroleum products. The project is also expected to support manufacturing, logistics and other industries around Lamu.

The groundbreaking comes after weeks of preparations by the national and county governments, with authorities putting in place security, protocol and logistical arrangements for the high-profile ceremony.

Several regional leaders and senior government officials are expected to attend the event.

The refinery is planned for the LAPSSET area in Magogoni and is expected to process crude for the Kenyan and wider East African markets. The proposed development is also linked to plans for additional energy, storage, manufacturing and logistics infrastructure in the region.

Dangote has offered East African countries a combined 30 per cent stake in the refinery and associated project. Kenya has been offered a 10 per cent stake, while Rwanda and Ethiopia have also expressed interest in participating in the regional shareholding.