ODM Party leader and Siaya Senator Oburu Oginga has urged residents of Lamu County and the wider Coast region to support and safeguard the proposed Ksh2.2 trillion Dangote oil refinery.
In a statement issued on Tuesday, September 29, Oburu described the planned refinery as a major economic opportunity for Lamu and called on local residents to take ownership of the project.
He said the investment would spur economic activity in the region, create opportunities for local households and contribute to the economic future of Lamu residents.
Oburu urged the community to protect the project against what he termed attempts to derail it through political opposition and misinformation.
He called on residents to reject what he described as propaganda surrounding the refinery and instead support its development.
The ODM leader said the refinery could help reduce Kenya’s economic dependence and contribute to greater economic independence for the country and the wider region.
President William Ruto and Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote are expected to preside over the groundbreaking ceremony for the refinery in Lamu on Wednesday.
Also Read: Prosecutors Opposes Bail For Five Suspects Charged Over Murder Of Dr Victoria Mutiso
The proposed facility is expected to have a production capacity of 700,000 barrels per day and take approximately 30 months to complete.
Once operational, the refinery is expected to supply petroleum products to Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda and other neighbouring countries.
Ruto on Tuesday also defended the project, saying his administration would not allow efforts to undermine the investment.
Speaking in Kilifi, the President alleged that some individuals were attempting to pressure Dangote into surrendering shares in the project and threatened to frustrate the refinery’s construction if their demands were not met.
He argued that such actions could discourage investors and cited the stalled Uganda crude oil pipeline and the failure to establish a Dangote cement factory in Kenya as examples of investments that had been lost.
