Ruto warns ‘profiteers’ against frustrating Dangote refinery project

KILIFI, Kenya, Sep 29 — The ownership and operations of the Dangote East Africa Refinery, whose construction will be launched on Wednesday, will be open and transparent, President William Ruto has said.

The President stated that the Government will have a stake in the landmark facility, and Kenyans will be given an opportunity to buy shares through the Nairobi Securities Exchange.

At the same time, the President issued a stern warning to individuals he accused of frustrating investors seeking opportunities in Kenya by making unreasonable demands and imposing selfish conditions.

He said such actions risk driving away capital and slowing the country’s economic transformation.

President Ruto made it clear that the Government will not allow profiteers to derail the refinery project.

He described the Sh2 trillion project as an economic game-changer for Kenya and the wider region.

“They cannot stop this project. I will make sure it succeeds,” he asserted.

He was speaking in Kilifi and Kwale counties on Tuesday on the fourth day of his Coast development tour.

The President said the people seeking to derail the refinery have been frustrating major investments, citing Nigeria businessman Aliko Dangote’s earlier efforts to establish a cement factory in Kenya and the proposed crude oil pipeline between Kenya and Uganda.

He said investors need an enabling environment rather than punitive demands.

“Investors need incentives, not conditions,” he said, noting that the refinery will create significant economic opportunities for Kenyans and strengthen the country’s foreign reserves.

He explained that he would not allow anyone to demand shares from the investment, saying the Government has a stake in the refinery and some of these shares will be sold through the Nairobi Securities Exchange.

Pointing out that frustrating investors has led to declining foreign direct investment, the President said Kenya’s foreign direct investment was $1.6 billion in 2022 but has risen to $3.2 billion in 2025.

“Once the Dangote Refinery is operational, we expect to increase foreign direct investment to between $6 billion and $7 billion,” he said.

On the land question, President Ruto said his commitment to providing the land answer was not merely a campaign promise, but a deliberate desire to transform the Coast and restore the rights of residents who have endured decades of uncertainty over land ownership.

“The land challenges in this region have violated the rights of the people, causing widespread poverty and the spectre of constant evictions,” he said.

The President said the Government has allocated Sh10 billion towards resolving the land question and will continue funding the programme in the subsequent years.

To accelerate the adjudication of land which has been purchased by the Government, he said 300 Ministry of Lands officials have been deployed to the Coast.

The move is intended to meet the Government’s target of issuing 500,000 title deeds in the Coast region by December 2026.

In Kilifi County, the President issued 36,000 title deeds to residents at Karisa Maitha Stadium in Kilifi town, on Tuesday.

He informed the beneficiaries that the title deeds have been fully paid for by the Government and told them not to pay any money.

He regretted that the Coast has waited for far too long for justice on land and development rights.

“There are those who are saying development at the Coast is a right of the people. Yes, I agree. But justice delayed is justice denied,” he said.

President Ruto stated that the Government’s rapid response initiative on the land purchase, surveying and titling is part of what he termed “the land answer” for the Coast.

“We are doing this in all the six counties in the Coast. Our officers will be here until all the land is surveyed,” he said.

In Kwale, President Ruto identified water security as a priority for the Coast, saying the Government will progressively address perennial shortages through major water infrastructure projects.

He inspected construction works at Mwache Dam in Kinango Constituency, a flagship project designed to strengthen water supply in Kwale and some parts of Mombasa.

The dam is nearing completion and is expected to provide 186 million litres of water daily.

On the blue economy, he pointed out that the Government is investing heavily in the sector to improve food security, create jobs, raise incomes and accelerate economic growth along the Coast.

He said KSh15 billion has been allocated to the sector for the development of several fish landing sites across the region.

President Ruto pointed to a Sh300 million fish landing facility nearing completion in Kilifi, while the Shimoni fishing port and Liwatoni landing facilities are ready in Kwale.

The modern facilities are designed to support value addition and include essential infrastructure such as cold-storage facilities.

The Government, President Ruto said, has also expanded Kenya’s deep-sea fishing capacity, with the number of vessels increasing from two in 2022 to 24.

The President said those opposed to transformative projects are seeking to perpetuate the historical marginalisation of the Coast and urged residents to support leaders with clear development plans.

He said Kenya could not afford to “play guesswork” with development, emphasising his commitment to the promises he made during the 2022 election campaign.

Regarding development in Kwale, he noted that Sh 15 billion has been set aside to build seven roads, adding that more funds will be allocated to construct an additional three roads.

Further, Sh24.7 billion is being invested in 8,000 affordable housing units, 12 modern markets and hostels for 5,000 students in Kilifi County.

At the same time, he commissioned Fulugani Comprehensive Primary School at Kasemeni in Kinango Constituency and inspected the Kenya Coast National Polytechnic Kwale Campus in Matuga Constituency and the Milalani-Funzi road in Msambweni Constituency.

President Ruto said the next General Election will provide Kenyans with an opportunity to move away from politics based on division and discrimination.

The President is on an eight-day development tour of the Coast, covering Taita-Taveta, Kwale, Kilifi, Mombasa, Tana River and Lamu counties.

Present were Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Cabinet Secretaries Alice Wahome (Lands) and Salim Mvurya (Sports and Creative Economy), Senate Speaker Amason Kingi, Governors Gideon Mung’aro (Kilifi) and Fatuma Achani (Kwale), and Cotu Secretary-General Francis Atwoli.

Others were Principal Secretaries Nixon Korir (Lands) and Fikirini Jacobs (Youth Affairs), Senators Danson Mungatana (Tana River) and Stewart Madzayo (Kilifi), MPs and MCAs.

Mr Mudavadi said the politics of tribalism and division has contributed to the failure to resolve land challenges at the Coast, pointing out that the current administration has made significant progress.

Governor Mung’aro welcomed the issuance of title deeds, saying residents have waited for land ownership documents for decades.

“We have waited for land titles since independence. No other President has been half as committed as William Ruto,” Mung’aro said.

Mvurya said many Coast residents had lost hope of the long-standing land challenge ever being resolved.

“We thought it was impossible. Now we realise that past leaders were not committed to dealing with this issue,” he said.

Kingi commended the President for his commitment to address the land challenges in the region.

“What four presidents were unable to do, you have done. What has not been done in 60 years, you have done in four years,” he said.

Madzayo said the Coast has suffered prolonged political exclusion, which he linked to underdevelopment in the region.

“Raila took us to the Government under the broad-based arrangement and we are now witnessing the benefits,” he said.