Kiharu Member of Parliament (MP) Ndindi Nyoro has given President William Ruto 14 days to publish the deal struck between the Kenyan government and Dangote Group regarding the proposed Sh2.2 trillion Lamu refinery.

Nyoro, leader of the People’s Party of Kenya (PPK), said the disclosure was necessary for Kenyans to scrutinise terms of the multi-billion deal, including the ownership structure and government commitments. The MP issued the ultimatum on Saturday, October 3, threatening to publish the agreement himself, if the government does not release it within the specified 14 days.

“I am giving you 14 days, William Ruto. If you do not release the Dangote agreement, I will release it myself so that Kenyans can see it,” Nyoro said.

Nyoro also demanded disclosure of the register of shareholders of the Kenyan company, behind which the refinery project is being executed.

“It is not a privilege Kenyans are demanding. You have to produce the register of Dangote Refinery shareholders, and you also have to give us the investment agreement,” the PPK leader argued.

Nyoro said his demand should not be misconstrued as being against the proposed investment in the country, but rather in pursuit of transparency on the government’s commitments.

The proposed refinery was officially launched on September 30 in Lamu by President Ruto and Nigerian business magnate Aliko Dangote. Upon completion, the facility will have a processing capacity of 700,000 barrels of crude oil per day and will supply petroleum products to Kenya and neighbouring countries.

Nyoro has raised questions over the ownership pattern of the Kenyan project and what Kenya stands to contribute to the joint venture, in terms of assets or finances, in exchange for its share. His demand comes as the project faces mounting opposition and protests from political personalities, consumers, and local residents, over issues of ownership, financing, land use, public participation, and potential public liabilities.

On his part, Ruto has said Kenya’s participation in the project will be through the National Infrastructure Fund.

The Treasury Cabinet Secretary, John Mbadi, has said the government has been allocated a 10 per cent share in the project, with a prospect of increasing its shareholding if other East African nations do not utilise their allocated percentages. The overall deal structure has been reported to provide for a combined 30 per cent stake for the governments of the East African nations.

While the government has pitched the project as a key industrial and energy investment for Kenya, Dangote has said the refinery will be a regional project, with supplies destined for the East African market and beyond. However, the exact nature of the investment agreement and the individual commitments of the signatories remain a subject of public interest and controversy.

Nyoro’s ultimatum comes as Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has demanded that the agreement be released to the public through a formal process of the Parliament. Reacting to Sifuna’s call for action, President Ruto said those who wanted to see the agreement should follow the established procedure for obtaining it from the Parliament.

“I want to tell you, if you want the agreement, you know how it’s asked for at Parliament so that it’s brought,” Ruto remarked.

On October 1, Sifuna moved to invoke Article 35 of the 2010 Constitution that provides for access to information generated and hosted by the State and compels it to publish and publicise information that affects matters of national interest.

The senator has also asked the Senate Energy Committee to obtain records and documents concerning the refinery’s approval process, financing, land use, ownership, public participation, and potential liabilities to taxpayers.

The public interest in the agreement comes as a court case over ownership of land for the project is set to commence. More than 130 residents have challenged the refinery project at the Environment and Land Court in Malindi, arguing that part of the land to be used for the project belongs to their ancestral land. The court has ordered that the land be put on hold from the project until an inter partes hearing on October 14, 2026.

For now, Nyoro’s 14-day ultimatum will be a test of the government’s willingness to release the agreement. The outcome of the PPK leader’s demand and whether the document will be made public or presented to the Parliament will shape the future of the much-contested project.