William Ruto has described Tanzania as a strategic energy hub in East Africa, urging countries in the region to scale up joint investments in power and petroleum infrastructure to accelerate economic transformation.
Speaking before Parliament in Dodoma on May 5, 2026, at the invitation of President Samia Suluhu Hassan, the Kenyan leader said ongoing bilateral energy projects are already reshaping the regional economy and strengthening integration within the East African Community.
Ruto highlighted the Kenya–Tanzania Power Interconnector as a flagship project, noting that the 400kV transmission line stretching over 500 kilometres has successfully linked the two countries’ national grids.
He said the project has gone beyond physical connectivity to harmonise power systems, enabling cross-border electricity trade, improving supply reliability and easing outages that have historically constrained industrial growth.
Building on that progress, Ruto said plans are underway for a new transmission corridor linking Shinyanga, Mabuki, Kilgoris and Rongai in Kenya.
The project, he noted, will expand transmission capacity and further integrate regional power markets.
“This cooperation allows us to optimise our diverse energy mix from Tanzania’s natural gas to Kenya’s geothermal resources and other renewables towards a more competitive and resilient regional energy system,” he said.
On oil infrastructure, the Kenyan President welcomed Uganda’s decision to invest in Kenya’s oil pipeline project, describing it as a shift from national to shared regional assets that strengthen collective energy security.
He also signalled Kenya’s readiness to partner in the proposed oil refinery project in Tanga, saying the coastal location offers a practical and strategic advantage for regional supply chains, despite earlier preferences for Mombasa.
Ruto concluded by calling on East African states to prioritise joint strategic investments in energy infrastructure, including pipelines and power projects, as a pathway to long-term energy security, industrial growth and deeper regional integration.
