KAMPALA, July 30, 2026 — Finance Ministry’s Permanent Secretary and Secretary to the Treasury [PSST] Ramathan Ggoobi and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development Irene Pauline Bateebe have been appointed as non-executive directors to the Board of Kenya Pipeline Company [KPC] PLC, strengthening Uganda’s representation in one of East Africa’s strategic energy infrastructure companies.
The appointments took effect on July 28, 2026, according to a public notice issued by KPC, and are part of changes to the board of the state-owned enterprise responsible for transporting, storing and distributing petroleum products across Kenya and to neighbouring countries, including Uganda.
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Development welcomed the appointments, congratulating Ggoobi and Bateebe on joining the KPC board at a time when regional cooperation in the petroleum sector continues to deepen.
Ggoobi brings extensive experience in macroeconomic policy, public finance and economic planning to the board, having played a key role in shaping Uganda’s fiscal and economic reforms as Secretary to the Treasury.
Bateebe, an engineer by profession, is one of Uganda’s leading energy sector experts, with more than two decades of experience in petroleum development and energy policy.
She has been instrumental in Uganda’s preparations for commercial oil production and has served on several strategic boards, including the Uganda National Oil Company [UNOC], the Uganda Energy Credit Capitalisation Company and the Uganda Refinery Holding Company, where she served as chairperson.
According to KPC, the newly appointed directors were selected to strengthen the board with expertise in economics, energy, infrastructure, finance and corporate governance, supporting the company’s long-term strategic objectives and sustainability.
Other appointments to the board include former Kenya National Highways Authority Director-General Meshack Otieno Kidenda, National Treasury Technical Adviser Samson Kipkemboi Burgei, and National Social Security Fund of Kenya Managing Trustee and Chief Executive Officer Ronald Kenyanya Nyamosi.
The appointments come as Uganda expands its footprint in regional energy infrastructure following its acquisition of a stake in KPC, a move aimed at enhancing energy cooperation between Kampala and Nairobi while giving Uganda greater influence over decisions relating to petroleum transportation and storage.
For decades, Uganda has depended on Kenya’s pipeline network to transport refined petroleum products from the Port of Mombasa into the country.
Uganda’s representation on the KPC board is expected to give the country a stronger voice in decisions affecting fuel transportation, storage capacity, infrastructure expansion and regional petroleum logistics.
The development also complements Uganda’s broader strategy of strengthening energy security as the country prepares to commence commercial oil production.
The Government is investing in major petroleum infrastructure projects, including the East African Crude Oil Pipeline [EACOP], the Uganda Refinery and expanded national fuel storage facilities, to improve supply reliability and position Uganda as a regional energy hub.
KPC is one of East Africa’s most critical energy infrastructure companies, operating more than 1,700 kilometres of petroleum pipelines and extensive fuel storage facilities.
The company plays a central role in the movement of petroleum products destined for Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, South Sudan, eastern Democratic Republic of Congo and northern Tanzania, making it a key pillar of the region’s fuel supply chain.
Uganda’s representation on the KPC board is expected to further strengthen cross-border collaboration in the energy sector while safeguarding the country’s interests as both a shareholder and one of the company’s largest pipeline users.
Uganda, through UNOC, acquired a 20.15 percent stake in KPC following its 2026 Initial Public Offering [IPO]. KPC has 18,173,299,000 issued ordinary shares. Uganda’s 20.15 percent stake therefore works out to approximately 3.66 billion shares. The shares were bought at the IPO price of Ksh 9 each, putting Uganda’s investment at roughly Ksh 32.9bln.
Buy your copy of thecooperator magazine from one of our country-wide vending points or an e-copy on emag.thecooperator.news
-
-
-
-
