President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has arrived in Mukowe in Lamu in Kenya for the groundbreaking ceremony of the Dangote East Africa Petroleum Refinery on invitation of President William Ruto.
President Museveni said that he was happy to see Africa waking up and moving away from the 70-year betrayal of exporting raw materials.
Mr Dangote, who started as an importer and has become a national and continental asset, is a good example of the transformation we need.
He said that Uganda’s refinery will be built, and our cooperation with Tanzania on Tanga stands and there is no harm in having more refineries in the region.
President Museveni said that what Africa needs is value addition, industrialisation and bigger integrated markets and East African political integration must ultimately be treated as a matter of strategic survival.
President Museveni was joined by the Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, and Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote and the new mega facility aims to process crude oil and supply fuel to several East and Central African countries.
President Museveni has therefore urged African nations to stop exporting raw materials without processing them first and the regional leaders are expected to discuss boosting local jobs, energy security and trade integration across East Africa
