In an effort to reduce energy prices, Kenya is to move forward with construction of a natural gas pipeline from Tanzania’s largest city, Dar es Salaam, to its coastal city of Mombasa and ultimately to the capital Nairobi, according to Kenya’s President William Ruto.
According to local estimates, the 600 km pipeline cost roughly $1.1 billion (£990 million). On his first trip to the neighboring nation since taking office in September, Ruto addressed to the Tanzanian media on Monday shortly after conducting private meetings with President Samia Suluhu.
According to Ruto, the initiative will result in decreased energy costs for businesses as well as for households with families.
A preliminary agreement governing the transportation of gas from Tanzania to Kenya for use in power generation and, potentially, for cooking and heating was signed by Ms. Suluhu and Mr. Ruto’s predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, in May of last year.
The agreement was supposed to be a part of a longer-term plan to strengthen the infrastructure connections between the two significant East African economies.
Meanwhile, Zambia and Namibia have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on a new gas and products pipeline project. The link would run from Walvis Bay, to Swakopmund and then on to Zambia. The Namibia-Zambia Multi-Product Petroleum and Natural Gas Pipelines Project (NAZOP) could also supply other countries in the region.