Let’s work as East Africa – Ruto pitches for Tanga refinery

President William Ruto addressing Tanzania Parliament on May 5, 2025 /SCREENGRAB

President William Ruto has made an appeal for regional cooperation and economic integration, urging Kenya and Tanzania to deepen investment ties and avoid narratives that divide the two neighbours.

Speaking on Tuesday in Dodoma, Tanzania, Ruto said he is personally supporting efforts to attract investment to Tanga, including the proposed construction of a refinery, arguing that such projects would benefit the wider East African region.

“Personally, I am helping to bring investment in Tanga,” he said.

“If you were good people, you would have been saying thank you to us Kenyans. Let us work as East Africa.”

The President emphasised that economic development in one country should not be viewed in isolation from its neighbours, noting that Kenya and Tanzania share a common future.

“What is good for Tanzania is good for Kenya and vice versa. I am requesting that we are one people. Let us not allow the talks of yesterday to separate us," he said.

Ruto further stressed that Kenya and Tanzania should not view each other as competitors or adversaries, but as partners in development.

“We have a common destiny,” he said. “I have explained that Kenyans are not your enemies and vice versa. Our enemies are not each other, but those who are not creating jobs for our people.”

He also echoed a popular saying in economic discourse, noting the imbalance between wealth and poverty distribution.

“It is being said in Kenya that wealth can be shared, but poverty cannot be shared,” he said.

The remarks come as Kenya and Tanzania deepen cooperation in trade, infrastructure, and energy, with renewed focus on cross-border investments such as the proposed Tanga refinery, which is expected to play a key role in regional energy security and industrial growth.

On Monday, Ruto said the idea of a refinery in Tanga emerged from consultations with regional leaders on how East Africa can jointly develop its oil, mineral and agricultural resources to drive industrial growth and job creation.

He noted that leaders including Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni had been part of the broader discussions, with Kenya, Uganda and other regional partners expressing interest in participating in the project.

According to him, Tanga’s proximity to Mombasa, about 190 kilometres away, presents logistical advantages that could support integration of fuel infrastructure and efficient distribution of refined products across the region.

Ruto further said the plan goes beyond oil refining, pointing to a wider ambition to establish regional capacity for mineral processing.

“As we discuss Tanga as a refining hub, we must also consider positioning it as a centre for processing minerals. It is no longer sustainable for us to export raw materials. As a region, we must deliberately avoid exporting value, jobs and opportunities. Instead, we must retain and utilise them locally. That is the future of our development,” he said.

He warned that the continued export of unprocessed resources leads to loss of jobs, wealth and increased economic pressure on African economies.

“The private sector has made it clear that the continued export of raw materials results in exporting jobs, opportunities and wealth, while importing inflation, an approach that is counterproductive. I have engaged with Tanzanian leadership on the need for the country to take the lead in ensuring that regional resources are used effectively,” Ruto said.

The discussion comes weeks after billionaire industrialist Aliko Dangote proposed the construction of a major oil refinery in East Africa during the Africa We Build Summit in Nairobi.