Uhuru to Flag Off Inaugural Shipment of Kenyan Crude Oil at Mombasa Port

President Kenyatta is on Monday slated to flag off the shipment of Kenya’s maiden consignment of crude oil at the port of Mombasa.

The 200,000 barrels of crude oil will be exported by Chinese company ChemChina UK Limited, which won the tender to purchase the first Kenyan oil early this month.

Last week, the government announced that ChemChina UK Limited bought Kenya’s first batch of crude oil at Sh1.2 billion. The sale deal was sealed after the company beat all other bidders who were eyeing the crude oil.

"ChemChina UK LTD was selected following a competitive tender process… an invitation to bid was issued to prospective buyers on 26th July 2019," read the statement in part.

President Kenyatta announced that Kenya had joined the league of oil-exporting countries during a Cabinet meeting early this month, pointing out that Kenya earned 12 million US dollars from the sale of its first batch of crude oil.

“We are now an oil exporter. Our first deal was concluded this afternoon with 200,000 barrels at a price of 12 million US dollars.”

“So, I think we have started the journey and it is up to us to ensure that those resources are put to the best use to make our country both prosperous and to ensure we eliminate poverty,” Kenyatta announced.

The crude oil was transported by road from Turkana County for stockpiling at the Kenya Petroleum Refinery facility in Changamwe, Mombasa. Tullow struck oil in Turkana’s Lokichar basin in northwest Kenya in 2012.