Pipeline project with Uganda was not beneficial to Kenya, Isaac Mwaura says

Mwaura who was speaking in an interview with Citizen TV’s Nimrod Taabu on Thursday, defended the government’s decision reiterating that it was acted in consideration of benefiting the ordinary Kenyans.

According to the former Senator, the government was spending a lot of resources to maintain the pipeline system and transport the fuel to the neighbouring nation with little benefits from the project.

“ The pipeline is not utilised as it should, the deal is expensive but we are not getting profit as we should," mwaura said.

Mwaura further noted that since a case where Uganda has sued Kenya was currently in court, the government would wait for the ruling before making any move.

He, however, underscored that even though Kenya would continue to engage with Uganda on the same, the President William Ruto-led regime would prioritise projects which economically benefit the public including adopting the new G2G model.

“We have had talks with Uganda but since they went to court, we are waiting to see what happens,” he said.

“Regardless, this is something that benefits Kenyans; we have a right to benefit from the measures we have put to collect revenues on top of other needs.”

Mwaura similarly dismissed allegations of a rift between Kenya Kwanza and DR Congo reaffirming that the purported tension during Congo elections last month was hot air.

He referred to the recent gesture by President Ruto to congratulate President Felix Tshisekedi following his election victory saying that Kenya was in harmony with Congo both at trade and governance levels.

“We have very good relations with DRC and even our banks like Equity are in Congo…it is even the third largest bank in the country,” he stated.

“There is no disaccord with DR Congo, the claims emanated from elections but even the President was among the first to congratulate Tshiskedi.”

Uganda moved to the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) over Kenya's refusal to allow it to use KPC infrastructure to move its refined petroleum products from Mombasa port to Uganda.

In the suit, Uganda accuses Kenya of denying its entity, the Uganda National Oil Company (UNOC), the right to operate as an Oil Marketing Company (OMC) in Kenya.

Uganda also seeks to have the licensing protocols imposed by EPRA on UNOC declared irrelevant, irrational and illegal, further accusing Kenya of going against the treaty for the establishment of the EAC by restraining EPRA from issuing the OMC license to Uganda.