Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has renewed his push for greater transparency over the proposed Dangote East Africa Petroleum Refinery in Lamu, filing a fresh petition seeking detailed information about the multibillion-shilling project.
Sifuna is asking the Senate Standing Committee on Energy to compel the relevant authorities to release all agreements and records relating to the refinery. His latest move comes days after President William Ruto challenged those seeking information on the project to follow parliamentary procedures.
The senator wants Kenyans to know the terms of any agreement between the government and Dangote, including the financial commitments made by the State. He has also raised questions about public participation, the project’s financing model, environmental concerns and the involvement of taxpayers’ resources.
Sifuna has relied on Article 35 of the Constitution, which guarantees citizens access to information held by the State and requires important information affecting the country to be published and publicised.
The planned refinery, which is expected to be one of the biggest industrial investments in Kenya, has attracted intense political and public scrutiny since President Ruto and Nigerian businessman Aliko Dangote broke ground for the project in Lamu on September 30.
The renewed petition comes as other Kenyans and organisations also seek answers over the proposed government involvement in the project. The High Court has separately certified as urgent a case seeking disclosure of agreements and commitments connected to the refinery.
Sifuna’s latest action is therefore likely to keep the project at the centre of public debate, particularly over questions surrounding government investment, ownership and accountability.
The senator has maintained that his concerns are not aimed at stopping development but ensuring that major national projects comply with the Constitution and that Kenyans have access to information about decisions made on their behalf.
The latest developments have added another layer to the growing debate surrounding the Dangote refinery and the government’s commitments to the ambitious Lamu project.