President Uhuru Kenyatta turned down requests by several governors, who were seeking special compensation from the new oil-exporting venture.
Speaking in Changamwe, on Monday, the President reiterated that the revenue from the oil business would be distributed equally across the country.
One by one, several governors had taken to the podium and asked for special revenue allocation of the Mbuzi (the term they used to describe oil revenue).
"Na nimeskia magavana hapa na najua lazima kila mtu ajitetee, mmoja ameomba mguu, mwingine ameomba mbavu, mwingine ameomba maini, mwingine ameomba shingo. Sasa ni wakati wangu mimi naomba hii mbuzi nzima imegawiwa kila mkenya kwa njia ya haki,
(Loosely translating to: I have heard the requests of several governors and I am well aware that it is within their rights to ask for consideration. One asked for the stake, the other asked for ribs, another asked for the liver while his colleague asked for the neck. However, I humbly ask that the revenue from this new venture be distributed equally to all Kenyans)" Uhuru declared.
West Pokot Governor, Dr. John Krop Lonyang'apuo, had earlier on left Uhuru in stitches when he claimed that his county deserved to get the lion's share of the revenue, stating that his residents had provided top-notch security for the oil consignment.
President Uhuru, in his response, maintained that leaders were elected to serve, adding that it was their responsibility to ensure that each citizen benefited from the country's natural resources.
"All we are as leaders is custodians and tomorrow there will be custodians. We thereby need to ensure that the country's resources are beneficial to all and not just a few individuals," he asserted.
President Uhuru was at the Kipevu Oil Terminal, Port of Mombasa, to preside over the flagging off ceremony of Kenya's first crude oil shipment, as well as receive the 3rd cohort of Seafarer recruits.
The crude oil from Turkana Oil fields, which is being mined by Tullow Oil, is being exported to Malaysia via the Celsisus Riga Oil Products Tanker berthed at the Port of Mombasa.
