Why Sifuna’s Lamu Oil Refinery Request Failed to Reach Senate Floor

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna alleges that parliamentary gatekeepers have blocked his request for key information on the proposed Lamu oil refinery project from reaching the Senate floor.

In a formal statement request dated October 2, 2026, Sifuna asked the Senate Standing Committee on Energy to compel the production of crucial records regarding the mega-infrastructure development in Lamu County.

The senator requested full disclosure across several critical fronts, seeking documentation on public participation to show how the government involved local communities and stakeholders. He also demanded clear details on the financing and implementation model, specifically outlining the financial burden expected on Kenyan taxpayers alongside comprehensive value-for-money assessments.

Additionally, the request called for revealing the identities of the beneficial owners of all private firms participating in the deal.

Sifuna argued that a public project of this scale must strictly comply with constitutional mandates governing transparency, accountability, sustainable development, and public finance management.

However, the lawmaker revealed on Wednesday that the request failed to obtain the necessary approval to proceed to the Senate order paper. He directly accused ruling-party allies in Parliament of systematically stalling inquiries into major state-backed deals.

“The reason Ruto speaks confidently in rallies telling us to use ‘formal channels’ to get documents held by the state is he knows his gatekeepers in Parliament will never approve this business to make it to the floor,” Sifuna said.

“This one on the Lamu Refinery has suffered the same fate. We must uproot this entire system in 2027 to rescue our country,” he added.

Sifuna’s comments highlight growing friction in Parliament over oversight and executive transparency. While official legislative logs confirm the Senate received the petition on October 2, the document itself does not explicitly detail the procedural reasons behind its failure to reach the floor.

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