Kenya and Uganda President scheduled to meet Monday over the oil pipeline route
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta will be hosting Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni on Monday to discuss the construction of the pipeline to transport the two countries oil to the Kenyan coast.
The decision on the route of the oil pipeline has been prolonged and last week Tanzania announced that Total which holds a stake in Uganda’s crude oil has set aside 4 billion dollars to build a pipeline through Tanzania.
Resolving the pipeline route will enable all concerned investors including the oil companies in the East African nations to make investment decisions on the developing the oil fields. Officials from Tullow Oil, Total and China’s CNOOC have been invited to the meeting.
Kenya favours the northern route through Lokichar, because as part of the Lamu Port, South Sudan, Ethiopia Transport (LAPSSET) project, it would transform infrastructure and the way of life of the people in the towns and counties across its path, according to a statement by Kenya’s President’s Spokesperson Manoah Esipisu.
Total had raised concerns over security in the Kenyan route since it will run near the Somalia border an area where militants have attacked Kenya.
Industry officials have said that it will be cheaper to build the oil pipeline through Kenya since the costs will be shared between the two countries.
