Energy Cabinet Secretary (CS) Opiyo Wandayi has unveiled plans to expand the Kisumu Kenya Pipeline Corporation (KPC) depot to handle larger volumes of petroleum products.
The expansion comes in response to increased demand following the operationalisation of the Kisumu oil jetty, which facilitates the transport of petroleum products to Uganda and other neighboring countries.
According to Wandayi, the proposed project will double the facility’s storage capacity and assign an independent unit to the oil jetty for loading vessels destined for Entebbe, Uganda. “We are looking forward to expanding the infrastructure at the depot, starting with the construction of new tanks to accommodate more volumes,” he stated.
The Kisumu oil jetty, completed in 2018 and operational since 2022, has transported 290 million liters of petroleum products to Entebbe via Lake Victoria. This shift has removed hundreds of trucks from Kenyan roads, reducing road maintenance costs and ensuring safer transportation of petroleum.
The government aims to optimize operations at the jetty to access new markets in Bukoba and Mwanza, Tanzania, as demand for petroleum transport through Lake Victoria grows. During an inspection tour of the facility, Wandayi emphasized the expansion as a priority to strengthen regional trade ties.
He also revealed plans to extend the pipeline from Eldoret to Kampala (Uganda) and Kigali (Rwanda). “We are in talks with our friends in Rwanda to channel more of their volumes through Mombasa, Eldoret, and Kisumu as we explore this new frontier,” he said.
The ministry is adopting a multi-pronged strategy for petroleum transportation, with the Kisumu jetty playing a central role in boosting KPC’s capacity. “Enhancing KPC’s efficiency in movement and storage will ensure a steady supply of commodities and generate more revenue on the petroleum value chain,” Wandayi concluded.