Kenya and her East African Community (EAC) neighbors have revived plans to implement the extension of oil pipeline from the Eldoret oil depot. Uganda and Rwanda seem more anxious about the project, expecting its extension from the Kenyan city through Kampala to Kigali. The extension is expected to ease the transportation of fuel. Moreover, pipelines delivering fuel to the two cities will give two landlocked countries more control over fuel importation. This largely depends on Kenya’s importation system that has exposed them to shocks in the past.
Products to the countries are often transported by trucks. Others are transported using vessels loaded from the Kisumu Oil Jetty. The plan to extend the pipeline has been in discussion since 1995. However, little progress has been made in talks and actions until now. Earlier this year, Kenya’s president agreed with Uganda’s Yoweri Museveni agreed on a refined petroleum products pipeline. Both nations aim to ease the process of importing fuel for Uganda.
State of Affairs Regarding the Eldoret Oil Depot Pipeline
In July, senior officials from the two countries held talks that set the stage for the project. It seems to be gathering momentum and its scale is expanding to include Kigali. Last week, officials from Kenya, Uganda and South Sudan saw the project take significant shape and expand in scale. Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Petroleum, Mohamed Liban remarked at the project’s significance. He noted that once completed, the Eldoret oil depot pipeline is expected to foster sustainable development. Moreover, it is expected to facilitate economic integration and prosperity for the region. Mohamed also noted that the project will set a strong foundation for future generations. The project, conceptualized in 1995, is starting to gain serious interest. The countries involved note that addressing the challenges of loading refined petroleum products on trucks remains vital.
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The Oil Pipeline Holds Immense Significance
Petroleum products are imported and discharged at the Port of Mombasa where it is transported by pipeline to Western Kenya. The products are then loaded on trucks and transported to neighboring countries for distribution. The use of trucks is not ideal, given their effects on the environment and their susceptibility to accidents and spillages. The Eldoret oil depot pipeline extension aims to ensure a reduction in the use of trucks on the road. The project also entails the construction of oil jetties in Kisumu and Mahathi in Entebbe, Uganda. Moreover, it includes rehabilitating ports to provide alternative and sustainable transport routes for transporting petroleum products. “The continued collaboration among Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, and South Sudan illustrates the collective commitment to advancing NCIP initiatives and unlocking the region’s economic potential,” Liban noted.
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