Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta on Monday announced that his government will support Uganda in the construction of her oil refinery in the western part of the country.
“We are going to build pipelines for crude oil and refined petroleum products, as well as to join you, alongside our other East African partners, in the development of an oil refinery here in Uganda whose impact will be regional,” said Kenyatta.
In a joint communique issued here at State House Entebbe, 40 kilometers south of the capital, Kampala at the end of three day state visit by Kenyatta, President Yoweri Museveni reiterated Uganda’s position to develop her oil refinery, noting that protracted engagement with the industry on the importance of an oil refinery for the country had delayed commercialization of Uganda’s petroleum resources.
“On the refined products pipeline from Mombasa via Eldoret to Kampala, the Heads of State agreed to develop a reverse flow petroleum product pipeline capable of transporting imported petroleum products to Uganda and also from the refinery in Uganda to Kenya,” it said.
Uganda and Kenya have both confirmed commercial quantities of recently discovered oil. Both are currently sprucing up their mid-stream capacities.
Museveni and Kenyatta agreed that regional integration is key to shared prosperity and expressed their deep commitment to integration of the East African Community and reaffirmed their support towards realization of the East African Political Federation. Enditem
Source: Xinhua
