NAIROBI, Kenya — Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga has come out in support of a controversial government plan to privatise the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), saying the move could help ease the country’s debt burden.
Speaking on Monday during an ODM Parliamentary Group meeting in Nairobi, Odinga argued that selling shares in KPC would not strip Kenya of ownership, since the infrastructure itself would remain a national asset.
“KPC is underground, from Mombasa to Nairobi. Even if you sell it, where is somebody taking it? It remains an asset of Kenya, it is just there on the ground,” he said. “Sell KPC so that we can get money to invest instead of borrowing.”
Odinga likened the debate to Britain’s privatisation era under Margaret Thatcher, recalling her response when foreign investors sought to purchase historic UK landmarks.
“She said even if they buy Buckingham Palace, where are they going to take it? It remains in Britain,” he said.
President William Ruto first floated the plan in July, announcing that the government intended to list KPC shares at the Nairobi Securities Exchange, subject to Cabinet and parliamentary approval.
The Treasury has argued that privatisation would inject capital and professional expertise to modernise the state corporation, which has been consistently profitable and plays a central role in the country’s energy supply chain.
But the process has faced legal headwinds. On August 15, the High Court issued temporary orders halting the sale after the Consumers Federation of Kenya (Cofek) challenged the plan.
Justice Bahati Mwamuye barred the Treasury, the Privatisation Authority, and other state agencies from offering, selling, or transferring any KPC shares until the petition is heard and determined.
The ruling underscored growing public concern over the disposal of strategic national assets, with critics warning that selling KPC could compromise national interests.
