02 January 2024
MZOZO WA UAGIZAJI MAFUTA BAINA YA KENYA NA UGANDA
Kufuatia kinachodaiwa bei ya juu ya udalali inayofanya Kenya juu ya nishati ya mafuta Uganda inayoagiza kutoka nje, Serikali ya Uganda yafikisha mzozo huo Mahakama ya Afrika ya Mashariki.
Uganda inadai bei ya mafuta katika soko la dunia pamoja na usafiri wake kufika Mombasa ni ya chini, lakini katika hali isiyofahamika nchi ya Uganda kudaiwa bei ya juu sana kuliko uhalisia.
Nchi ya Uganda ilipotaka kuepuka bei hiyo ya juu ya kiudalali na kuiombea kibali Shirika lake la Taifa la Mafuta la Uganda (UNOC) - the Uganda National Oil Corporation kufungua ofisi nchini Kenya ili lichukue dhamana ya kuagiza na kusafirisha, mamlaka husika nchini Kenya zilikataa ombi hilo nyeti kwa Uchumi wa Uganda ambayo pia ni mwanachama wa Jumuiya ya Afrika ya Mashariki - EAC
Tatizo lilianza Novemba 2023 wakati Kenya ilipokataa kutoa leseni inayohitajika kwa UNOC, na kusababisha Uganda kutafuta uingiliaji kati kutoka kwa mahakama ya kikanda ya Africa ya Mashariki katika jitihada za kulazimisha Kenya kutoa idhini inayohitajika.
Kama ilivyoelezwa katika hati za mahakama zilizowasilishwa na Mwanasheria Mkuu wa Uganda, nchi hiyo inahoji kwamba Kenya imeruka kimanga katika ahadi iliyotolewa Aprili 2023 ya kuunga mkono mpango wa Uganda wa kuagiza mafuta moja kwa moja kuanzia Januari 2024.
Kenya kupitia Wizara ya Nishati na Mamlaka ya Udhibiti wa Nishati na Petroli (EPRA) iliripotiwa kuweka masharti mbalimbali kwa UNOC ili kupata leseni hiyo. Masharti hayo yalijumuisha uthibitisho wa mauzo ya kila mwaka ya lita milioni 6.6 za petroli ya juu, dizeli na mafuta ya taa, umiliki wa bohari ya mafuta yenye leseni, na angalau vituo vitano vya rejareja ndani ya nchi. Kama ilivyoripotiwa, UNOC inapinga mahitaji hayo, ikisema ni vizuizi visivyo vya lazima, kwani bidhaa za petroli zinazohusika ni bidhaa za usafirishaji ambazo hazikusudiwa kwa Kenya.
Kuanzia Januari 2024, Uganda inapanga kutafuta mafuta moja kwa moja kutoka Vitol Bahrain, kufuatia changamoto zilizochochewa na uamuzi wa Kenya kuwa dalali wa kampuni tatu kuu za mafuta za Ghuba.
Huku kukiwa na ucheleweshaji wa kupata leseni ya ndani kutoka Kenya, inafahamika kuwa Uganda imetafuta njia mbadala, ikiwa ni pamoja na majadiliano na Tanzania kutumia Bandari ya Dar es Salaam kuagiza mafuta kutoka nje.
“Ili kutekeleza sera ya ununuzi wa moja kwa moja wa mafuta katika soko la kimataifa, ni muhimu kwa Jamhuri ya Uganda kupitia UNOC kusafirisha bidhaa za petroli kupitia Jamhuri ya Kenya chini ya miundombinu ya KPC,” anasisitiza Mwanasheria Mkuu wa Uganda. nyaraka za mahakama.
Uganda, ambayo kila mwaka inaagiza karibu lita bilioni 2.5 za mafuta ya petroli yenye thamani ya dola 2, inategemea Kenya kushughulikia angalau asilimia 90 ya uagizaji huo.
“Ili kutekeleza sera ya ununuzi wa moja kwa moja wa mafuta katika soko la kimataifa kwa bei nafuu , ni muhimu kwa Jamhuri ya Uganda kupitia UNOC kusafirisha bidhaa za petroli kupitia Jamhuri ya Kenya chini ya miundombinu ya KPC,” anasisitiza Mwanasheria Mkuu wa Uganda. nyaraka za mahakama.
Uganda, ambayo kila mwaka inaagiza karibu lita bilioni 2.5 za mafuta ya petroli yenye thamani ya dola 2, inategemea Kenya kushughulikia angalau asilimia 90 ya uagizaji huo.
Kuhamia na kuagizaji mafuta kupitia bandari ya Tanzania ya Dar es Salaam kunaweza kuathiri kwa kiasi kikubwa mapato ya bandari za Kenya, ikizingatiwa Uganda ni mteja mkubwa zaidi katika soko la mafuta ya usafiri yanayoagizwa kupitia Kenya.
02 January 2024
Uganda lodges lawsuit against Kenya over oil importation
Uganda has taken legal action against Kenya in the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) after Nairobi denied a local license to Uganda's government-owned oil marketer, the Uganda National Oil Corporation (UNOC).
The license denial relates to granting UNOC permission to operate in Kenya and handle fuel imports bound for Kampala.
The problem started in November 2023 when Kenya refused to grant UNOC the necessary license, prompting Uganda to seek intervention from the regional court in a bid to compel Kenya to issue the required authorization.
As stated in court documents filed by the Ugandan Attorney-General, the country argues that Kenya has backtracked on a commitment made in April 2023 to support Uganda's initiative to directly import fuel starting in January 2024.
Kenya, through the Ministry of Energy and the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), reportedly imposed various requirements on UNOC to secure the license. The conditions included proof of annual sales of 6.6 million litres of super petrol, diesel, and kerosene, ownership of a licensed petroleum depot, and a minimum of five retail stations locally. As reported, UNOC is protesting against the requirements, saying they are unnecessary hindrances, as the petroleum products in question are solely transit goods not intended for Kenya.
Starting January, Uganda plans to source fuel directly from Vitol Bahrain, following challenges sparked by Kenya's decision to engage in a government-backed deal with three Gulf oil majors.
Amid the delays in securing a local license from Kenya, it is understood that Uganda has explored alternatives, including discussions with Tanzania to use the Port of Dar es Salaam for fuel imports.
"In order to implement the policy of directly purchasing fuel in the global market, it is necessary for the Republic of Uganda, through UNOC, to transport petroleum products through the Republic of Kenya under the infrastructure of KPC," emphasizes Uganda's Attorney-General in the court documents.
Uganda, which annually imports around 2.5 billion litres of petroleum valued at $2, relies on Kenya to handle at least 90 percent of the imports.
A potential shift to the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam could significantly impact Kenyan ports’ revenues, considering Uganda's status as the single biggest market for transit fuel imported through Kenya.
MZOZO WA UAGIZAJI MAFUTA BAINA YA KENYA NA UGANDA
Kufuatia kinachodaiwa bei ya juu ya udalali inayofanya Kenya juu ya nishati ya mafuta Uganda inayoagiza kutoka nje, Serikali ya Uganda yafikisha mzozo huo Mahakama ya Afrika ya Mashariki.
Uganda inadai bei ya mafuta katika soko la dunia pamoja na usafiri wake kufika Mombasa ni ya chini, lakini katika hali isiyofahamika nchi ya Uganda kudaiwa bei ya juu sana kuliko uhalisia.
Nchi ya Uganda ilipotaka kuepuka bei hiyo ya juu ya kiudalali na kuiombea kibali Shirika lake la Taifa la Mafuta la Uganda (UNOC) - the Uganda National Oil Corporation kufungua ofisi nchini Kenya ili lichukue dhamana ya kuagiza na kusafirisha, mamlaka husika nchini Kenya zilikataa ombi hilo nyeti kwa Uchumi wa Uganda ambayo pia ni mwanachama wa Jumuiya ya Afrika ya Mashariki - EAC
Tatizo lilianza Novemba 2023 wakati Kenya ilipokataa kutoa leseni inayohitajika kwa UNOC, na kusababisha Uganda kutafuta uingiliaji kati kutoka kwa mahakama ya kikanda ya Africa ya Mashariki katika jitihada za kulazimisha Kenya kutoa idhini inayohitajika.
Kama ilivyoelezwa katika hati za mahakama zilizowasilishwa na Mwanasheria Mkuu wa Uganda, nchi hiyo inahoji kwamba Kenya imeruka kimanga katika ahadi iliyotolewa Aprili 2023 ya kuunga mkono mpango wa Uganda wa kuagiza mafuta moja kwa moja kuanzia Januari 2024.
Kenya kupitia Wizara ya Nishati na Mamlaka ya Udhibiti wa Nishati na Petroli (EPRA) iliripotiwa kuweka masharti mbalimbali kwa UNOC ili kupata leseni hiyo. Masharti hayo yalijumuisha uthibitisho wa mauzo ya kila mwaka ya lita milioni 6.6 za petroli ya juu, dizeli na mafuta ya taa, umiliki wa bohari ya mafuta yenye leseni, na angalau vituo vitano vya rejareja ndani ya nchi. Kama ilivyoripotiwa, UNOC inapinga mahitaji hayo, ikisema ni vizuizi visivyo vya lazima, kwani bidhaa za petroli zinazohusika ni bidhaa za usafirishaji ambazo hazikusudiwa kwa Kenya.
Kuanzia Januari 2024, Uganda inapanga kutafuta mafuta moja kwa moja kutoka Vitol Bahrain, kufuatia changamoto zilizochochewa na uamuzi wa Kenya kuwa dalali wa kampuni tatu kuu za mafuta za Ghuba.
Huku kukiwa na ucheleweshaji wa kupata leseni ya ndani kutoka Kenya, inafahamika kuwa Uganda imetafuta njia mbadala, ikiwa ni pamoja na majadiliano na Tanzania kutumia Bandari ya Dar es Salaam kuagiza mafuta kutoka nje.
“Ili kutekeleza sera ya ununuzi wa moja kwa moja wa mafuta katika soko la kimataifa, ni muhimu kwa Jamhuri ya Uganda kupitia UNOC kusafirisha bidhaa za petroli kupitia Jamhuri ya Kenya chini ya miundombinu ya KPC,” anasisitiza Mwanasheria Mkuu wa Uganda. nyaraka za mahakama.
Uganda, ambayo kila mwaka inaagiza karibu lita bilioni 2.5 za mafuta ya petroli yenye thamani ya dola 2, inategemea Kenya kushughulikia angalau asilimia 90 ya uagizaji huo.
“Ili kutekeleza sera ya ununuzi wa moja kwa moja wa mafuta katika soko la kimataifa kwa bei nafuu , ni muhimu kwa Jamhuri ya Uganda kupitia UNOC kusafirisha bidhaa za petroli kupitia Jamhuri ya Kenya chini ya miundombinu ya KPC,” anasisitiza Mwanasheria Mkuu wa Uganda. nyaraka za mahakama.
Uganda, ambayo kila mwaka inaagiza karibu lita bilioni 2.5 za mafuta ya petroli yenye thamani ya dola 2, inategemea Kenya kushughulikia angalau asilimia 90 ya uagizaji huo.
Kuhamia na kuagizaji mafuta kupitia bandari ya Tanzania ya Dar es Salaam kunaweza kuathiri kwa kiasi kikubwa mapato ya bandari za Kenya, ikizingatiwa Uganda ni mteja mkubwa zaidi katika soko la mafuta ya usafiri yanayoagizwa kupitia Kenya.
02 January 2024
Uganda lodges lawsuit against Kenya over oil importation
Uganda has taken legal action against Kenya in the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) after Nairobi denied a local license to Uganda's government-owned oil marketer, the Uganda National Oil Corporation (UNOC).
The license denial relates to granting UNOC permission to operate in Kenya and handle fuel imports bound for Kampala.
The problem started in November 2023 when Kenya refused to grant UNOC the necessary license, prompting Uganda to seek intervention from the regional court in a bid to compel Kenya to issue the required authorization.
As stated in court documents filed by the Ugandan Attorney-General, the country argues that Kenya has backtracked on a commitment made in April 2023 to support Uganda's initiative to directly import fuel starting in January 2024.
Kenya, through the Ministry of Energy and the Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority (EPRA), reportedly imposed various requirements on UNOC to secure the license. The conditions included proof of annual sales of 6.6 million litres of super petrol, diesel, and kerosene, ownership of a licensed petroleum depot, and a minimum of five retail stations locally. As reported, UNOC is protesting against the requirements, saying they are unnecessary hindrances, as the petroleum products in question are solely transit goods not intended for Kenya.
Starting January, Uganda plans to source fuel directly from Vitol Bahrain, following challenges sparked by Kenya's decision to engage in a government-backed deal with three Gulf oil majors.
Amid the delays in securing a local license from Kenya, it is understood that Uganda has explored alternatives, including discussions with Tanzania to use the Port of Dar es Salaam for fuel imports.
"In order to implement the policy of directly purchasing fuel in the global market, it is necessary for the Republic of Uganda, through UNOC, to transport petroleum products through the Republic of Kenya under the infrastructure of KPC," emphasizes Uganda's Attorney-General in the court documents.
Uganda, which annually imports around 2.5 billion litres of petroleum valued at $2, relies on Kenya to handle at least 90 percent of the imports.
A potential shift to the Tanzanian port of Dar es Salaam could significantly impact Kenyan ports’ revenues, considering Uganda's status as the single biggest market for transit fuel imported through Kenya.
