President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni are today meeting over the route for the planned $4 billion crude oil pipeline to transport the two country’s oil.
State House spokesperson Manoa Esipisu said in a statement that, “they will discuss the construction of the Uganda-Kenya oil pipeline, a key plank of the Northern Corridor Infrastructure Projects (NCIP).”
Further, he announced Museveni’s arrival on his twitter account, “President @KagutaMuseveni has arrived at State House Nairobi for talks with host President @UKenyatta on Kenya-Uganda crude oil pipeline.”
Tullow Oil, French company Total and China’s CNOOC are part of the meeting being held at State House, Nairobi.
LAST YEAR AGREEMENT
The deal between Kenya and Uganda has been shaky with the latter under a MoU with Tanzania, exploring the Tanga route despite an august last year agreement to have the resource pass through Lamu.
Last week Tanzania said Total had prepared the $4 billion to begin construction of the pipeline shared with Uganda through Tanga. The presidency announced that the construction would begin August and the construction would be hastened to be complete before the scheduled three years.
Uganda has in the past yielded to pressure from Total to withdraw from the Northern Kenya route, citing insecurity concerns.
“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,” said Esipisu in a statement.
The meeting held today, could be the make or break meeting over the crude oil pipeline, it comes a week after both Kenyan and Ugandan energy officials separately held meetings in respective countries over the crude oil pipeline.
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Credit: Daily Nation
