MOMBASA, Kenya — As Kenya moves to convert its oil discoveries into sustainable national wealth, the Port of Mombasa is increasingly emerging as a strategic economic hinge, the gateway through which the country’s energy ambitions must pass to generate jobs, industrial growth, and public revenue.
That role was under scrutiny on Thursday when a joint delegation from the National Assembly and the Senate toured key petroleum handling facilities at the port, as part of ongoing public participation on the proposed Field Development Plan (FDP) and Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) for Blocks T6 and T7 in the South Lokichar Basin.
The joint parliamentary session was co-chaired by Tana River Senator Danson Mungatana, the chair of the Senate Standing Committee on Energy, and Nakuru Town East MP David Gikaria, who chairs the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Energy. The legislators held engagements with senior officials from the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum, the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC), Kenya Petroleum Refineries Limited (KPRL), and the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).
Discussions focused on the readiness of infrastructure along the coastal segment of Kenya’s crude oil evacuation and export chain, with lawmakers assessing port capacity, safety standards, and operational efficiency ahead of any final investment decision on oil production.
Kenya Ports Authority assured Parliament that the Port of Mombasa is fully prepared to handle crude oil and petroleum-related cargo, citing the operational efficiency of the multi-billion-shilling Kipevu Oil Terminal (KOT).
KPA officials said the ultra-modern facility provides the backbone for Kenya’s petroleum exports. The terminal has four berths with a combined length of 770 metres, alongside a dedicated workboat wharf at the Westmont area. Three of the berths are currently operational, while the fourth has been reserved for future expansion in line with projected growth in oil and petroleum volumes.
KPA Harbour Master and General Manager for Marine Operations Captain Patrick Onyango, speaking on behalf of Managing Director Captain William Ruto, told the committees that the authority has sufficient capacity to support crude oil exports safely and efficiently.
“The authority has adequate operational capacity to handle oil and related cargo at the Port of Mombasa,” Onyango said, noting that investments at Kipevu had significantly improved turnaround times, safety systems, and compliance with international maritime standards.
The lawmakers also toured complementary facilities within the port area, including KPRL installations, KPC storage tanks, and the Beach Valve Station, which form a critical link between inland pipeline infrastructure and offshore loading operations.
The coastal inspections form part of a wider national public participation exercise that spans Turkana, West Pokot, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Mombasa, and Lamu counties. Parliament is gathering public views as it considers ratification of the proposed oil development framework for the South Lokichar Basin, a process required under Kenyan law before commercial production can proceed.
Under the Constitution of Kenya, 2010, Parliament must approve contracts relating to the exploitation of natural resources, with public participation serving as a key constitutional requirement under Article 10 on national values and governance.
Energy sector stakeholders say the readiness of export infrastructure will be a decisive factor in unlocking Kenya’s oil potential, given the scale of investment required and the need for reliable evacuation routes to international markets.
The South Lokichar oil projects are expected to stimulate industrial activity, strengthen Kenya’s balance of trade, and create employment opportunities across upstream, midstream, and downstream sectors, once production begins.
As deliberations on the FDP and PSCs continue, the Port of Mombasa’s central role underscores how logistics, governance, and energy policy must align if Kenya’s oil resources are to translate into long-term economic gains rather than unrealized promise.
