Museveni, Uhuru hold talks on Uganda-Kenya oil pipeline

Kenya is trying  to convince Ugandan oil producers one more time to consider routing a pipeline through the country as opposed to Tanzania.

On Monday, President Uhuru Kenyatta hosted his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni in Nairobi, and officials from oil companies at the centre of the pipeline debate have been invited to the meeting.

According to a joint statement issued by Kenyan Cabinet Secretary, Energy and Petroleum Mr Charles Keter and Ugandan Minister for Energy and Mineral Development Ms Irene Mulon, the two leaders heard technical presentations by Kenyan and Ugandan energy officials on options of constructing the pipeline from Hoima on Lake Albert through Kenyan ‘northern route’ through the oil fields of Lokichar; the Kenyan ‘southern route’ through the town of Nakuru, with a loop to Lokichar as well as a route from Hoima to Tanga in Tanzania.
“The two leaders agreed to hold another meeting in Uganda’s capital, Kampala after two weeks to allow their technical officials to harmonise their presentations,” the statemmet said further.

The two ministers further noted that the Kampala meeting will focus on ensuring a least-cost option for a regional integrated pipeline; address constructability issues along all routes- existing and planned infrastructure, terrain and elevation; assessing and confirming the current proven reserves which will have an impact on the size of the pipeline and viability of the ports of Lamu, Mombasa and Tanga as export options.
The meetings appears to be a response to Tanzania’s announcement last week that the pipeline from Uganda to Tanga, which is supported by oil extraction in Uganda, will be build from August.
“Uganda’s oil producers — Irish company Tullow Oil, French company Total and China’s CNOOC (China National Offshore Oil Company) — have also been invited to the meeting, which will be held at State House, Nairobi,” said Kenyan State House spokesman Manoah Esipisu on Sunday.

“In the construction of the pipeline, Kenya favours the ‘northern route’, through Lokichar, because, as part of the Lamu Port-South Sudan-Ethiopia Transport project, it would transform infrastructure and the way of life of the people in the towns and counties across its path,” he added.
The pipeline’s proposed route was agreed on in August last year, when President Kenyatta visited Kampala.
Once complete, it would move oil from Hoima in western Uganda to Lamu, through Lokichar in Turkana County, where Kenya has also discovered oil.
At the time, the two countries issued a joint statement saying the construction of the pipeline would be speeded up to tap into imminent oil revenues.

Source: The Daily Monitor