President Ruto doublespeak may derail Kenya's clean energy push
President William Ruto speaks during the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly at the UN headquarters on September 21, 2022, in New York City. President Ruto noted that historic droughts exacerbated by climate change lead to drying reservoirs and other water sources, and affect agricultural production.
In his maiden speech as the fifth President, he highlighted the urgency to deal with what he described as a “climate emergency” that is devastating the Horn of Africa.
However, a month later, during his first foreign trip as Head of State, Dr Ruto held bilateral talks with his Tanzanian counterpart, President Samia Suluhu, and committed to building a 600km Tanzania-Kenya gas pipeline that, according to reports, will cost $1.1 billion (Sh132 billion).
The natural gas pipeline is expected to run from Dar es Salam to Mombasa and ultimately to Nairobi. This is part of the longer-term plans to expand infrastructure between East Africa’s major economies and remove trade barriers.
In his maiden speech as the fifth President, he highlighted the urgency to deal with what he described as a “climate emergency” that is devastating the Horn of Africa.
