President Ruto says Dangote refinery project will proceed despite court cases, protests

President William Ruto has said that the Dangote East Africa Oil Refinery project in Lamu will proceed despite court orders and resistance, accusing “disgruntled opposition sponsors” of attempting to undermine the investment.

Speaking during his tour of Kilifi and Kwale counties on Tuesday, President Ruto defended Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote, who has pledged to invest Ksh.2 trillion in the project.

Ruto said he would not allow another incident of “sabotage” against investors.

The President responded to residents of Chandavai in Lamu who had staged demonstrations against the groundbreaking of the project, demanding compensation for the 7,000-acre piece of land.

"Nimewaona wakijaribu maneno kwa mitandao, kwa press conference. Nyinyi ndiyo mmepeleka hiyo kesi kortini. You are the sponsors of the court cases. You are against this investment because you haven't gotten what you have been doing. You have had enough," he stated. 

Ruto accused the opposition of disrupting the project, claiming that their demands for shares in the deal were rejected.

"Wale mabroker wa shares, wanatuambia sijui wanataka shares, sijui share ya nani, sijui nani. Utapeli huo mlioendesha ndiyo Kenya ikakosa uwekezaji. Wakenya wote watapata nafasi ya kununua hisa kwa hiyo kampuni. Transparently. Msijifanye kwa sababu mko na shares KPLC ni nyinyi tu," he said.

The President also came to Dangote's defence, claiming he had been frustrated multiple times before relocating some investments to other countries during retired President Uhuru Kenyatta's tenure.

"Huyo Dangote alitaka kuweka kampuni ya simiti, akazungushwa na mambo ya masharti mpaka akaenda kwingine. Hapa hapa Kenya, nchi ya Uganda ilifaa kujenga pipeline ipitie hapa Kenya, wakamzungusha na shares mpaka wakaenda Uganda," said the Head of State.

Ruto maintained that the project would go ahead despite court orders.

"Ndiyo hawa wanafikiri watamzungusha Dangote. Mimi nawaambia niko macho. Hapa hamtoboi mwaka ujao kwa sababu ya mambo ya Dangote. Foreign direct investment itafika between USD 6-7 billion. Mwekezaji hataki masharti, anataka incentives," he said.

The President later launched several projects in the region, including the flagging off of electrification materials for Chungani Village in Msambweni Constituency.

The electrification project is being implemented by the Rural Electrification and Renewable Energy Corporation.