President William Ruto has announced that a new investor will construct a KSh 33 billion cement factory in Kitui County, reviving a major industrial project that collapsed when Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote abandoned similar plans years ago. Ruto made the announcement during a media engagement in Mombasa on the night of Thursday, October 1. He revealed that he plans to visit Kitui in November to break ground for the facility.
The president drew a direct line between the new factory and Dangote's earlier interest in the same county. Ruto said that when he served as deputy president, he personally accompanied Dangote to State House for a meeting with then president Uhuru Kenyatta, but the billionaire ultimately walked away from the deal and redirected his investment to Tanzania. Ruto described the loss as an avoidable setback.
Ruto said that Dangote could have done the work seven years ago, but unfortunately, he was frustrated and chose to invest in Tanzania instead. The president stated that his administration is now actively working to shield investors from what he characterized as unreasonable demands, including requests for equity stakes and bribes, which he said had historically deterred large-scale investment in Kenya.
The president also addressed the planned KSh 2 trillion East African oil refinery in Lamu, offering assurances that no residents would be displaced to make way for the project. He said the designated land belongs to the government and that any claims from residents would be handled directly by the state rather than passed on to the investor.
Ruto stated that Kenya had long struggled to secure transformative investments due to an unfavorable business environment. His administration, he said, is working to reverse that trend by creating conditions under which investors can operate without being burdened by unnecessary demands, while ensuring that Kenyans benefit through job creation and broader economic opportunities.
The announcements came a day after Ruto and Dangote appeared together at the groundbreaking ceremony for the East African Oil Refinery in Lamu on September 30. The president's efforts to attract investment and create a favorable business environment are crucial for Kenya's economic growth.
The new cement factory is expected to create jobs and stimulate economic growth in Kitui County. Ruto's administration is working to ensure that Kenyans benefit from investments through job creation and broader economic opportunities. The president's visit to Kitui in November to break ground for the factory is expected to mark a significant milestone in the project's development.
Key points
- A new investor has committed to building a KSh 33 billion cement factory in Kitui County.
- The project was previously abandoned by Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote.
- President Ruto plans to visit Kitui in November to break ground for the facility.
