President William Ruto has revealed why his administration ordered Tata Chemicals Magadi to leave Kenya.
Speaking in Kajiado on Thursday, September 3, Ruto accused the company of operating at Lake Magadi for more than a century without making sufficient investments or creating enough opportunities for residents of Kajiado County.
“We have Lake Magadi, we have a big company, we have resources that can change Kajiado County and Kenya as a whole. Tata Chemicals Company, which is here in Kajiado, has been running its contract for over 100 years,” Ruto said.
“They have not constructed anything in Kajiado, including even employing people here. I recently told them to vacate and get out of this country. Let them go. They have been taking our resources to India,” he added.
Ruto Reveals Why He Ordered Tata Chemicals Out of Kenya
He said the government had identified a new investor to take over operations around Lake Magadi under new conditions designed to ensure more economic benefits remain within Kenya.
The President added the incoming investor would be required to establish processing facilities in Kajiado, including a glass processing plant and a chemical processing company, before being allowed to undertake the operations.
“We have said we are bringing in a new company, and the new ruling for the new company is that they must establish a glass processing company here and also another company for processing chemicals here in Kajiado,” he added.
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The revelation comes after lawmakers allied to the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP) accused President William Ruto of having personal interests in natural resources in the Magadi area.
The MPs criticized the shutdown, warning that the move could create uncertainty for more than 100,000 residents in and around Magadi while affecting hundreds of employees and thousands of people whose livelihoods depend on the company.
DCP MPs Accuse Ruto of Bigger Interests in Tata Chemicals Magadi Closure
In a statement issued on Thursday, September 3, the lawmakers questioned the government’s decision to halt operations at the multinational company’s facility.
“We have heard that Mr. William Ruto plans a tour of Kajiado County at a time when the lives of over 100,000 residents in and around the Magadi area are facing uncertainty as TATA Chemicals Limited closure has been ordered,” the statement read.
The lawmakers accused the Ministry of Mining of using regulatory compliance as justification for what they described as economic sabotage.
They argued that the closure could have far-reaching consequences for workers, families and businesses that rely on Tata Chemicals’ operations.
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The DCP leaders also alleged that the government had interests in the mineral and oil resources in the Magadi region, claiming that the stated reasons for the closure were being used to conceal a wider plan.
“The flimsy excuses given are just a decoy; The truth of the matter is, there are huge deposits worth trillions of shillings of lithium metals underneath the Magadi area. Further, there are huge oil prospects in the same vicinity within which TATA Chemicals Limited operates,” the statement further read.
The MPs further accused Ruto of seeking personal benefit from Kenya’s natural resources, citing other areas where they alleged that the President had interests in resource exploration.
“Mr. President, Kenya’s Natural resources cannot be individualized to your personal interests. This is not the first time you are going for our natural resources for your personal gain; we are well aware of your hand in Turkana Oil, Gold in Shimba Hills, Gold exploration in Laikipia, Narok, Kakamega and Amboseli among others. Now you want Lithium and Oil in Magadi. Mr. President, how much is enough? How much?” the statement noted.
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