This archive report was first published on 27 August 2019.
On Monday, President Uhuru Kenyatta marked a significant milestone in Kenya's economic history by flagging off the first shipment of 200,000 barrels of crude oil from the port of Mombasa.
According to the President, Kenya's oil windfall will be utilized in a manner that yields maximum dividends today, without compromising the interests of future generations.
The UK-based Chinese company, ChemChina, purchased the first batch of Kenyan crude oil at Sh1.2 billion (USD12 million), marking a significant milestone in the country's oil export journey.
Speaking during the flagging off ceremony, Tullow Oil CEO Paul McDade revealed that the shipment will continue for the next 18-24 months.
Kenya's journey to become an oil exporter began in 2012 when Tullow Oil discovered commercial oil reserves in the Lokichar basin in the northern county of Turkana.
During the ceremony, Mombasa County Governor Hassan Joho appealed to the President to set up a meeting to explore ways of diversifying the economy and reinvesting the proceeds in infrastructure to improve the lives of Kenyans.
