Ruto Warns ‘Brokers and Extortionists’ Against Interfering With Dangote Refinery

President William Ruto has pledged to protect major investment projects in Kenya from what he described as “brokers, blackmailers and extortionists” seeking to profit from them.

Ruto made the remarks during the groundbreaking ceremony for the East African Refinery in Lamu, a Sh2 trillion project led by Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote.

The President told investors and other guests that his government would not tolerate individuals seeking to use large-scale projects to make personal gains through coercion or manipulation.

“Nobody is going to extort anything from you. No one will be given anything for free because they are blackmailing you,” Ruto said.

He said people attempting to exploit the refinery project would not be allowed access, describing them as opportunists seeking to benefit from obstructing major investments. Ruto’s remarks followed comments by Dangote about the challenges of investing in Kenya. The Nigerian industrialist, who operates the Lekki refinery in Nigeria, said he was prepared to deal with the difficulties involved in developing the Lamu project.

“You have heard Dangote saying he is ready for trouble. He will give them big trouble. Mjipange,” Ruto said, referring to Dangote’s determination to proceed with the investment.

Dangote said the Sh2 trillion refinery would be completed within 40 months. He said the project would demonstrate that the success of his Nigerian operations could be replicated in East Africa.

He said regional leaders, including Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, would be invited back to Lamu to commission the refinery once construction is completed.

“Lekki refinery in Nigeria proved that it is capable, so Lamu must prove that it can be repeated,” Dangote said.

The refinery is expected to process 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day, placing it among the largest planned refining facilities in Africa. Dangote also said the Lamu facility would generate 1,000 megawatts of electricity, twice the output of his Lagos refinery.