In a landmark ruling that paves the way for one of East Africa’s most ambitious energy projects, Kenya’s Environment and Land Court has struck out a petition seeking to halt the construction of what is projected to become Africa’s largest Liquefied Petroleum Gas terminal at Dongo Kundu, Mombasa.
The court decision marks a significant victory for Taifa Gas founder and Tanzanian industrialist Rostam Azizi, ending a prolonged regulatory battle that threatened to derail the multibillion-shilling investment. Justice Stephen Kibunja ruled that environmental concerns raised by two Likoni residents had already been conclusively determined by the National Environmental Tribunal in 2022, and that allowing the dispute to be re-litigated would unfairly stall a project that had met all legal and environmental requirements.
The 30,000-metric-tonne storage terminal is expected to play a pivotal role in stabilizing national LPG supply, reducing import bottlenecks, and introducing greater competition in a sector long dominated by a handful of players. Welcoming the decision, Azizi described it as “a vindication of our commitment to due process and environmental responsibility,” adding that the terminal would enhance regional energy security and support inclusive community development through targeted economic empowerment programmes, particularly for women.
The decision comes nearly three years after President William Ruto’s administration allocated 30 acres to Taifa Gas within the 3,000-acre Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone. During the project’s groundbreaking ceremony in February 2023, President Ruto pledged to make LPG affordable for all households, promising to eliminate taxes on cooking gas and supply subsidised cylinders nationwide as part of efforts to phase out wood fuel and reduce its impact on health and the environment.
Mombasa is fast emerging as an LPG hub, with rising demand continuing to drive sector growth. Kenya’s LPG consumption increased from 333,820 tonnes in 2021 to 360,590 tonnes in 2022, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics. The government aims to achieve universal access to clean cooking by 2028, supported by the Kenya National Cooking Transition Strategy, Vision 2030, and international climate commitments.
Source: theweeklyvisionews.net