President William Ruto has defended the government’s decision to end Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited’s operations at Lake Magadi, saying the company has mined Kajiado’s resources for decades without uplifting locals.
Speaking in Kajiado on Thursday, Ruto said it was unfair for a firm to extract soda ash for over a century while residents remain jobless and without industries.
He said the firm has not built factories or created meaningful employment in the county, instead shipping raw materials abroad.
The President announced that the government will bring in a new investor to exploit Lake Magadi, but with tough conditions.
The new company will be required to set up a glass manufacturing plant and a chemicals processing plant within Kajiado to ensure local value addition and jobs.
The remarks come weeks after Mining CS Hassan Joho suspended Tata’s mining licence on July 28 over alleged non-compliance with mining laws.
