Page 15 - AfrOil Week 40 2022

AfrOil POLICY AfrOil

Kenya has already racked up some successes Ruto also did not address arguments from
with respect to leapfrogging past fossil fuels into a number of African government officials that
an era where renewable resources are the most fossil fuels are a faster and more cost-effective
important component of the energy mix, he remedy to the continent’s widespread energy
said. Kenya is home to the world’s largest wind poverty.
park, he stated, and renewables account for 92% One proponent of this view is his Ugandan
of the country’s domestic generation capacity. counterpart, Yoweri Museveni, who argued in
Ruto effectively acknowledged that Kenya an op-ed published by The Wall Street Journal
was still dependent on imports of fossil fuel- last year that African states ought to pursue solu-
based energy but said that 74% of its overall tions that combined renewables and natural gas,
consumption was made up by clean energy. which generates less carbon dioxide than other
fossil fuels.
Misstatements In any event, the Kenyan president urged
It is worth noting that at least one of Ruto’s African states to turn to renewables and phase
claims on this front is either inaccurate or mis- out fossil fuels. He noted that wind and solar
stated. Kenya is indeed home to Africa’s largest power solutions were becoming more cost-ef-
wind park, the 310-MW Lake Turkana Wind fective and called them a better guarantor of
Power (LTWP) facility, but the world’s largest energy security in light of the fallout from the
wind park is actually the 1,320-MW Hornsea conflict between Russia and Ukraine.
2 facility located built in the UK section of the Above all, Ruto stressed that renewable
North Sea. energy was the best way to address the climate
Meanwhile, it is not clear how Ruto deter- emergency now confronting the entire world as
mined that renewable sources were powering a consequence of the sustained use of fossil fuels
92% of Kenya’s total generating capacity. This and said his country intends to lead the way on
figure is at odds with data from sources such this front.
as the US International Trade Administration “This is a crossroads in history. Kenya is
(ITA), which show that renewables account for ready to rise to the challenge and help build a
approximately three-quarters of the country’s better world for Kenyans and all of humanity,”
installed generating capacity. he wrote. ™

Sudan cuts motor fuel prices amidst

public scepticism over economic impact

SUDAN SUDAN’S Ministry of Energy and Oil has reservations about the utility of the price cuts
reduced the price of motor fuel as of October for local consumers.
5, reversing price hikes made earlier in the year. Kamal Karrar, an independent economic
The ministry said in a statement that the new analyst, said that the reductions did not elimi-
pricing schedule would take effect at 3:00 p.m. nate the markups charged by or commissions
on October 5. paid to the middlemen who handled most of
As of that time, it explained, diesel prices Sudan’s fuel imports.
were due to fall by 4% from SDG 700 ($1.23) per “The price of fuel in Sudan is subject to bro-
litre to SDG 628 ($1.11) per litre, while gasoline kers and [parasites] who have monopolised the
prices were set to drop by more than 25% from fuel market since the state and the Ministry of
SDG 700 ($1.23) per litre to SDG 522 ($0.92) Energy have stopped importing [fuel] directly,”
per litre. he told Radio Dabanga. “The current reduction
The ministry’s price reduction is designed to is slight and does not affect transport costs for
reduce pressure on Sudanese consumers, who the public or the economic situation.”
have been hit hard this year by rising costs for Muhammad Sheikhoun, an economist and
motor fuel and other basic goods, including academic, also argued that the involvement
food. However, some members of the public of middlemen and brokers had driven up fuel
appear to be sceptical about the impact of this prices. He also told Radio Dabanga, though, that
move. taxes and fluctuating exchange rates had caused
According to a report from Radio Dabanga, prices to rise.
Sudanese taxi drivers and other transport oper- Both Karrar and Sheikhoun have ties to
ators have said they expect increases in the cost the Forces of Freedom and Change (FFC), the
of maintenance and spare parts to nullify the political coalition that helped bring an end to
benefits stemming from lower fuel bills. the long-running regime of President Omar
Sudanese economists also expressed el-Bashir in 2019. ™

Week 40 06•October•2022 www. NEWSBASE .com P15