A side-by-side image of PPK party leader Ndindi Nyoro, President William Ruto and Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote. PHOTO | COURTESY

People’s Party of Kenya (PPK) leader Ndindi Nyoro now claims that the acquisition of nearly a quarter stake in the Kenya Pipeline Company (KPC) is the start of a plot by Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote and President William Ruto to gain majority ownership of the public utility company.

The opposition politician also accused the President of interfering in the buying and selling of KPC shares through government entities, with the shares eventually landing in Dangote’s basket.

“This kind of malady where you see there is no distinction between William Ruto the President and William Ruto the businessman is what is putting Kenya in this kind of distress, where you have the same person who should be sitting on the side of Kenyans to negotiate the best deals for Kenyans is also sitting on the other side," Nyoro stated.

He claimed that the sale of the shares was largely influenced by the President when state bodies, including the NSSF and the Unclaimed Financial Assets Authority, bought into the IPO.

“The President of Kenya overrides them and instructs them to invest your money. When they invest, the government purports to stabilise the share price through artificial means,” said Nyoro.

“The President of Kenya then calls the same people and tells them to sell the share. This is the unfortunate thing. They bought the share at Ksh.9.0; the exit price was between Ksh.9.02 and Ksh.9.36."

The transaction has raised questions about whether the interests of Kenyan workers and pensioners were adequately protected, particularly considering that the institutions reportedly acquired the shares at approximately Ksh.9 per share during KPC’s initial public offering earlier in 2026.

Questions also emerged over whether the returns justified the investment risks, transaction costs and opportunity costs incurred by the pension funds.

He claimed the next step would be a rights issue, alleging that the government could decline to take up its share, citing a lack of funds, allowing Dangote to acquire the additional shares.

“Government involvement in the refinery: what percentage? What is there to hide? Why should we be asking? You are signing it on behalf of Kenyans. Kenyans are saying, let's have a look at it. You hold the mic as a President and said we will never have a look at it," Nyoro added.

Dangote’s stake in the company now makes him the second-largest shareholder in KPC after the government, which holds 35 per cent of the shares, while the government of Uganda is the third-largest shareholder with 20.15 per cent of the company.