The Dongo Kundu area in Mombasa County is set to host one of East Africa’s largest cooking gas facilities after months of delays caused by legal disputes and community concerns.
The Sh16 billion project by Taifa Gas Investments SEZ Limited is now about 80 percent complete and is expected to be ready by March this year.
The facility marks the first significant investment within the Dongo Kundu Special Economic Zone and is expected to transform the region’s energy supply.
Owned by Tanzanian entrepreneur Rosterm Azizi, the plant had faced delays due to disagreements over compensation and resettlement for affected residents on the 3,000-acre site.
Construction, which began in 2023 under President William Ruto, was put on hold as legal battles between the investor and some locals played out in court.
After the High Court in Mombasa dismissed the case in October last year, work resumed.
However, progress remained slow for months as a group of residents protested against tree cutting and raised environmental concerns, particularly regarding the marine ecosystem, even seeking court orders to halt the project.
Site manager Anthony Musyoka said the plant has now entered its final stage, with construction of 12 large spherical tanks for gas storage almost complete. He made the remarks while government officials visited the site to monitor the development.
"The plant will be responsible for both storage and distribution of 30,000 tonnes of LPG and could expand up to 45,000 tonnes, making it the largest LPG terminal in the region,” Musyoka said.
In its first phase, the Taifa Gas facility is expected to provide at least 120 jobs. Its entry into the market follows the start of operations at Lake Gas in Kilifi last year and is likely to challenge the longstanding dominance of African Gas and Oil Company, increasing competition among bulk LPG suppliers in the country.
