Ruto claims opposition wants to extort Dangote over his Sh2 trillion refinery

President William Ruto has warned that he will not allow what he described as attempts by opposition leaders to extort or undermine Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote over his oil refinery investment in Lamu.

Dr Ruto said his administration would protect investors and ensure that the Dangote East Africa Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemicals Special Economic Zone project proceeds, accusing Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna of seeking to obtain the investment agreement for purposes of taking the businessman to court.

“Imagine there are people opposing that refinery in Lamu. Just imagine! Just imagine! Yesterday I heard Mr Empty (Sifuna) asking for the agreement of the Dangote refinery,” Dr Ruto said.

The President was speaking during his development tour of the Coast region, where he highlighted industrial investments as part of his administration's efforts to create employment for young people.

Read: Choppers in the sky, military checkpoints on the ground: Lamu’s Dangote refinery spectacle

President Ruto said that the refinery, expected to be completed in the next 40 months, would process 700,000 barrels of oil a day and create 60,000 jobs for young people across the country.

He accused Mr Sifuna of seeking the agreement on behalf of his sponsor (former president Uhuru Kenyatta) whom he claimed wanted to use it against Mr Dangote.

“I want to tell you that if you want that agreement, you know how to ask for it through the Parliament and get it. But I know you have been sent by your sponsor, so that they can get hold of it and do to Mr Dangote what they did previously,” he said.

In the Senate, Mr Sifuna said no leader was opposed to development but questioned why Parliament had not been given access to the agreement governing the refinery investment.

“I hear people telling us here that a refinery is being launched. As leaders of Linda Mwananchi, nobody is against development, but again, it must be within the confines of the values of our Constitution. We are members of Parliament here, and I can assure you, Speaker, none of us has seen the agreement on that refinery. None of us knows the commitments that this country has made for this refinery to be built,” Mr Sifuna said.

Read: Dangote sets 40-month refinery deadline

The Nairobi Senator said residents of Lamu had raised concerns over the project in court and questioned remarks attributed to Mr Dangote concerning opposition to the investment.

“Our own people in Lamu are in court crying for us to help them, and yet even the investor himself, I have heard him say that even if we have problems with the project, he will deal with you. You cannot speak to us like that if you want to invest in our country,” he said.
 

However, the President said he would not allow the investor to be subjected to what he described as similar treatment to an earlier cement investment which Mr Dangote intended to bring to the country.

Dr Ruto accused his critics of seeking the agreement so that they could use it to pursue legal action against Mr Dangote.

“You will not extort from anybody anymore, you will not extort from our investors. You have no chance,” he said.

The President also alleged that Mr Sifuna previously extorted governors when they appeared before Senate proceedings, asking what values an alleged extortionist would bring to the debate over the refinery agreement.

“You are a big extortionist. What values do you have? You extorted from governors when they appeared before you. What values does an extortionist have in this country? So, you want the agreement to go extort?” he asked.

Read: Dangote oil refinery: Leave some room for journalistic scepticism

Dr Ruto said the opposition was also attempting to intimidate Mr Dangote after the businessman indicated that he would take his critics to court.

The President said taking legal action was within the law and that investors should be allowed to pursue their interests without intimidation.

His remarks come as the construction of the refinery has become a subject of public and political debate, with questions being raised about the investment agreement and the project's implications for Lamu.

Dr Ruto said the refinery is part of his administration's industrialisation agenda and an opportunity to create jobs through local processing and value addition.
 

The President said the project would be among investments aimed at transforming Lamu into an industrial hub while creating employment opportunities for young people.

He maintained that the Government would continue supporting investors and would not allow political disputes to derail projects that could create jobs and attract capital.

He also defended other development projects being undertaken by his administration, challenging his predecessor, retired President Mr Kenyatta, and his critics to account for their development record.

Read: Lamu rising: How Sh2 trillion refinery promise is reshaping Kenya’s least populous county

Dr Ruto said Kenyans had waited for years for projects such as housing, markets, railways and stadiums, arguing that his administration was now implementing projects across the country.

“Didn’t we have a fourth President in this country? I hear them saying stadiums, railways, housing and markets are all shining things yet their regions are developed. How can a leader in this century undermine development? They want to play poker games with our country,” he said.

The President urged Coast residents to support investments that he said would create employment and stimulate economic activity in the region.

He said his administration was also addressing longstanding challenges in the Coast, including land ownership, water shortages, transport infrastructure and electricity supply.

Read: Ruto, Dangote and four Presidents: Lamu refinery puts East Africa’s oil plans to test

Dr Ruto said the Government was targeting the issuance of 300,000 title deeds to Coast residents and had allocated Sh10 billion to support the exercise, including compensation to absentee landlords.

He also highlighted the proposed railway link towards Tanzania, the Sh45 billion Mwache Dam and the Sh11 billion Devki iron-ore processing plant in Taita-Taveta as projects intended to boost economic activity and create jobs.

The President said the Government was encouraging local processing of minerals rather than exporting raw materials, with the Manga plant expected to create about 3,000 jobs once operational.

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