Mjipange!’ Ruto warns brokers over Lamu oil refinery

President William Ruto has assured investors that Kenya will not allow brokers, blackmailers or extortionists to interfere with their investments, as he highlighted the country’s efforts to attract major projects.

Speaking during the ground breaking ceremony in Lamu on Wednesday, Ruto said investors would not be forced to give in to demands from individuals seeking to exploit them.

“I know you have had a different experience in Kenya. Nobody is going to extort anything from you. No one will be given anything for free because they are blackmailing you,” Ruto said.

The President said individuals he described as “extortionists” and “brokers” were looking for opportunities to benefit from investors, but insisted that such practices would not be allowed.

“Extortionists are looking for opportunities. But no one will talk to them,” he said.

Ruto also referred to recent comments by the Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote, who has spoken about potential investments in Kenya.

“You have heard Dangote saying he is ready for trouble. He will give them (brokers) big trouble. Mjipange,” Ruto said.

Earlier, Dangote gave a 40-month timeline for completion of the Sh2 trillion East African Refinery in Lamu, challenging the project to replicate the success of his Lekki refinery in Nigeria.

Dangote said he expected President William Ruto and other African leaders attending the event to return to Kenya to commission the facility within 40 months.

“Lekki refinery in Nigeria proved that it is capable, so Lamu must prove that it can be repeated. Mr President, and our other respected presidents, my brother, Prime Minister Abiy, I want to assure you will come back here and commission this refinery in 40 months from today,” Dangote said.

The proposed refinery is designed to process approximately 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, making it one of the largest planned refining facilities on the continent.

Dangote said the Lamu facility would also generate 1,000 megawatts of electricity, which he described as twice the generation capacity of his Lagos operations.