“In the history of any nation there are special moments and seminal events,” said President Uhuru Kenyatta in August. He was celebrating Kenya’s entry to the club of oil producers with a symbolic shipment of 200,000 barrels. “The first export of crude oil by our nation...marks a special moment in our history,” he declared.

Politicians love oil. Selling it generates easy money for governments; much easier than taxing citizens, who might then demand services, democracy and good governance. Petrodollars also lubricate patronage networks. They can be used to buy votes, silence rivals or, if that fails, fund a comfortable retirement abroad.