Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan and Kenyan President William Ruto have agreed to expedite the construction of a 600km long natural gas pipeline between their countries.

The pipeline project is expected to boost trade between the two African nations while reducing their energy costs. It is estimated to cost KES132bn ($1.1bn), reported Business Daily Africa.

The two Presidents reached the decision during their bilateral talks in Dar es Salaam as part of a two-day visit to Tanzania by Ruto.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) to begin work on the gas pipeline project was signed by Samia Suluhu in May 2021 with the then Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta. However, construction on the proposed pipeline is yet to begin.

According to President Ruto, the Tanzania-Kenya pipeline will be used by his country for importing gas from the Mtwara plant in Tanzania as a priority. The natural gas pipeline is to be laid between Dar es Salaam and Mombasa, Kenya.

The leaders did not mention any estimated completion date for the project.

Expected to be funded via public private partnership (PPP), the pipeline will allow Kenya to utilise the Tanzanian natural gas deposits to bring down both the cost of cooking gas and electricity prices.

In a joint briefing with President Samia Suluhu, President Ruto said: We will expedite the gas pipeline from Dar es Salaam to Mombasa and eventually to Nairobi so that we can use the resources that we have in our to lower energy tariffs both for commercial and domestic use in Kenya.

“We will ensure that what the Government of Kenya is required to do will be done in a timely, efficient and effective manner so that in the shortest time possible we can access the gas resources that you have in your country.”