In an effort to reduce energy prices, Kenya is to move forward with the 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.
Local reports put the costs of the 600km (372-mile) pipeline at about $1.1bn (£990m).
Mr Ruto spoke to Tanzanian media on Monday, shortly after holding bilateral talks with President Samia Suluhu, on his first visit to the neighbouring country since he took office in September.
Mr Ruto said the project would lower energy tariffs in the industrial sector, as well as for families in their homes.
In May last year, Mr Ruto’s predecessor, Uhuru Kenyatta, and Ms Suluhu signed a preliminary agreement covering the transport of gas from Tanzania to Kenya for use in power generation and, potentially, for cooking and heating.
The deal was said to be part of a longer-term plan to expand infrastructure links between the two big economies of East Africa.
You can listen to the full media briefing of the two presidents, in Swahili and English, here:
Tanzania-Kenya media briefing, State House, Dar es Salam, Tanzania https://t.co/1OW2AfthKp
— William Samoei Ruto, PhD (@WilliamsRuto) October 10, 2022