Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna has raised concerns over the handling of a request seeking key information about the proposed Lamu oil refinery, claiming it was stopped from proceeding to the Senate floor. Sifuna submitted the request on October 2, 2026, seeking a statement from the Senate Standing Committee on Energy on the planned refinery project in Lamu County.
The senator wants the committee to provide documents and information detailing how the project will be implemented and financed. Among the information sought are records on public participation, the project’s financing and implementation framework, the amount expected to be funded by Kenyan taxpayers, value-for-money assessments and the beneficial ownership of companies involved in the project.
Sifuna said projects of such magnitude should adhere to constitutional principles on transparency, accountability, public participation, sustainable development and prudent management of public resources. On Wednesday, the senator claimed his request had not received the necessary approval to proceed to the Senate floor.
He accused government allies in Parliament of frustrating efforts to obtain information concerning major State-backed projects.
“The reason Ruto speaks confidently in rallies telling us to use ‘formal channels’ to get documents held by the state is he knows his gatekeepers in Parliament will never approve this business to make it to the floor,”
Hon Edwin Sifuna He added that his request concerning the Lamu refinery had faced a similar setback, calling for political change in 2027. However, the senator’s claim about the request being blocked remains an allegation concerning its handling within Parliament. The available document confirms that the request was received by the Senate on October 2, 2026, but does not establish why it did not proceed to the floor.
