The construction of long-awaited East Africa Refinery project in Lamu is set to officially begin next Wednesday, in a major step expected to transform Kenya’s energy and industrial landscape.
Announcing today Tuesday 22 September ,2026, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said President William Ruto will lead the groundbreaking ceremony for the landmark project, which is expected to bring together Heads of State and Government from the East African region and beyond.
Kindiki said the preparations for the ceremony were at an advanced stage, signalling the government’s determination to move the refinery project from plans to implementation.
Speaking during a final preparation meeting at his official residence in Karen, Prof.Kindiki said the refinery would position Kenya and the wider East African region as an important petro-chemical industrial hub and a competitive energy logistics centre.
The project, he said, would have far-reaching economic benefits beyond Lamu, opening up new opportunities in manufacturing, trade, transport, logistics and other related sectors.
“The refinery will position Kenya and East Africa as a key petro-chemical industrial hub and a competitive energy logistics centre,” Kindiki said.
The Deputy President described the refinery as a landmark investment that would unlock the economic potential of Lamu and the wider Coast region.
For years, Lamu has been identified as having significant potential to become a major gateway for regional trade and investment because of its strategic location along the Indian Ocean.
The second in command added that refinery is expected to complement other investments in the region and strengthen Kenya’s role as a regional energy and logistics centre.
According to Kindiki, the project is also expected to create more than 50,000 jobs, providing opportunities for skilled and unskilled workers while stimulating businesses linked to the construction and energy sectors.
He added the anticipated employment opportunities could benefit thousands of young people in Lamu and neighbouring counties, while creating new markets for local enterprises.
speaking he noted the project is also expected to accelerate infrastructure development and attract additional private-sector investment to the Coast region.
“The refinery would contribute significantly to the government’s industrialisation agenda by supporting value addition and expanding the country’s capacity in the petro-chemical sector,” he said .
The groundbreaking ceremony will therefore mark more than the beginning of construction. It is expected to set the stage for a wider economic transformation of Lamu and strengthen Kenya’s position in the regional energy market.
The presence of regional and international leaders at the ceremony is also expected to underline the strategic importance of the project to East Africa.
Kindiki further noted the government has increasingly placed major infrastructure and industrial projects at the centre of its economic transformation agenda, with a focus on creating jobs, expanding investment and increasing local value addition.
For residents of Lamu and the Coast region, he added the refinery offers the prospect of new jobs, businesses and infrastructure, while for Kenya, the project is being presented as a major component of its ambition to become a regional industrial and energy hub.
