President William Ruto and Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna have clashed over the proposed KSh2.2 trillion Dangote East Africa Refinery in Lamu, with the president accusing the senator of attempting to frustrate the investment.
The exchange followed Sifuna’s demand that Parliament be allowed to scrutinize the agreement between the Kenyan government and the Dangote Group, arguing that lawmakers had not been informed of the commitments Kenya had made to facilitate the project.
Speaking in the Senate on Wednesday, Sifuna said major development projects must comply with the Constitution and undergo the necessary oversight.
“We are members of Parliament here, and we haven’t seen the agreement for that refinery. We don’t know the commitments that this country has given in order for that refinery to be built,” Sifuna said.
He also raised concerns about residents of Lamu who have taken aspects of the project to court.
“Our own people down there in Lamu are actually in court, honorable Speaker, and they are crying out for us to be able to help them as a people,” he said.
Sifuna maintained that questioning the project did not amount to opposing development.
“Nobody is against development, but again, it must be within the confines of the values of our constitution,” he said.
He further questioned why the government could not explain the project and its implications to affected communities.
“There is nothing wrong with explaining things to our people. Why do we treat our people so badly, Honorable Speaker, that we can’t explain to them what this thing is about?” Sifuna said.
Ruto tells Sifuna to use Parliament
Ruto responded to Sifuna’s demand during his tour of the Coast on Thursday, telling the senator to use the established parliamentary process if he wanted to access the agreement.
“I want to tell you, if you want the agreement, you know how it’s asked for at Parliament so that it’s brought,” Ruto said.
The president, however, went beyond the question of parliamentary procedure and accused Sifuna and others of seeking to use the agreement to pressure Dangote.
“Mr. Empty, hiyo agreement, kama unataka unajua vile agreement inaulizwa kule bungeni ndiyo iletwe,” Ruto said.
Ruto also revived the history of Dangote’s unsuccessful attempt to establish a cement manufacturing investment in Kenya, alleging that the businessman had previously been subjected to demands that discouraged the investment.
“You are not going to frustrate and extort Dangote again the way you did when he was looking for cement manufacturing. I am here, and I remain steadfast in protecting such investors,” Ruto said.
In another part of his remarks, the president accused Sifuna of being involved in what he described as an extortionist operation in Parliament.
“What values does an extortionist like you, extorting from our governors, extorting from devolution, and you dare tell us about values? Which values?” Ruto asked.
He also suggested that Sifuna was acting on behalf of a political sponsor, saying, “Mr. Empty wa shiny things ametumwa na yule sponsor eti akuje kuulizia agreement ile ya mambo ya refinery.”
