Tanzanian activist Maria Sarungi Tsehai has stirred debate online after suggesting that remarks made by Tanzanian President Samia Suluhu Hassan may have contributed to billionaire businessman Aliko Dangote shifting plans for a proposed mega oil refinery from Tanzania to Kenya.
Her comments came after reports emerged that Dangote was now favouring Kenya’s port city of Mombasa for the multibillion-dollar refinery project instead of Tanzania.
The development also followed a recent public forum where President Suluhu appeared to distance herself from discussions about the refinery, telling Kenyan President William Ruto that she was unaware of the plans.
The moment quickly drew attention online, with many social media users questioning how such a major regional investment project could seemingly advance without the Tanzanian president’s full knowledge.
Jamani mi namwelewa sana mzee Dangote
Aliona kimama kinamfokea head of state mwenzake ka mtoto mdogo na misuto juu alafu baadaye kwenye business forum akasema anataka kuchapa mikwaju wapiga kura
Akawaza “kesho nimeshawekeza 17 bilion US dollars kimama anaamka offmood anaweza… pic.twitter.com/8HhTHqUnwR— Maria Sarungi Tsehai (@MariaSTsehai) May 10, 2026
Maria Sarungi Tsehai, a prominent Tanzanian activist and government critic, responded with a sharply worded post on X that mixed humour with political criticism.
“I can certainly relate to industrialist Aliko Dangote,” she wrote.
“He saw a wayward woman president (Samia) publicly reprimanding a fellow head of state (Ruto) as one would address a misbehaving child… Dangote envisioned investing $17 billion, yet Samia appeared to wake up in a foul mood, leaving him (Dangote) at risk of receiving a thorough beating or even being abducted.”
Her remarks rapidly spread across social media platforms in Tanzania and Kenya, where users turned the refinery discussions into a wider debate about leadership style, investor confidence and regional competition.
READ ALSO: Tanzanian Activist Mange Kimambi Asks Kenyans to Reject Ruto in 2027
Dangote, Africa’s richest man, has become one of the continent’s most influential industrial investors through his vast cement, fertiliser and petroleum businesses.
Kenya’s Mombasa port is now reportedly being considered as a preferred location because of its strategic infrastructure and access to regional markets.
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