Devki to set up Sh11b steel factory in Taita Taveta

Business
By Renson Mnyamwezi | Jul 02, 2024
Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya. [Samson Wire, Standard]

The government has designated Taita Taveta County as a strategic processing and value-addition centre for iron ore mining in Kenya, Mining and Blue Economy Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya has said.

The CS said the county is now positioned on the road map for iron ore processing and value addition to stimulate investment and socio-economic growth.

This comes as the Devki Group of companies announced plans to set up a Sh11 billion steel factory in the region. It has identified a site at Manga Hill near Voi town along the busy Nairobi-Mombasa highway for the mega project.

Mvurya challenged the governor and the commissioner to move quickly to resolve the management crisis at Kishushe Ranch, which involves three camps claiming to be the bona fide officials of the ranch, rich in iron ore extraction.

"The national government will play its part in addressing the land and management conflict. Go and resolve the conflict as the county positions itself for the mega project that will transform the lives of the local community," the CS directed the governor and county commissioner.

Mvurya highlighted that the county has taken a leading position in mineral resources, and the ongoing reforms in the mining sector will significantly enhance the economy.

The CS noted that the government has identified the available mineral resources in the country through a completed airborne survey, revealing over 970 mineral occurrences nationwide.

"There is enough mineral wealth, and we have already done zoning. The county has been designated for iron ore processing and value addition to create more wealth and address poverty and unemployment. With the radical reforms being carried out by the government in the mining sector, we expect the GDP to increase from one per cent to ten per cent," stated Mvurya.

Share this story
Tea factory embraces value addition to boost consumption, farmer earnings
A tea factory has manufactured value-added tea for the local and international markets, a strategy employed to increase consumption.
Financial sector pushes for stronger data systems to boost credit access
Financial sector leaders have called for stronger trust infrastructure, responsible data-sharing frameworks and greater interoperability to expand access to credit.
Co-op Bank leads list of Kenyan lenders in Forbes World top 500
Co-operative Bank of Kenya, Equity Group Holdings, KCB Group and Stanbic Holdings were included in the ranking of 500 banks from 89 countries, published on Wednesday by Forbes
MPs demand answers on plans to privatise New KCC
MPs have raised concerns over plans to privatise the New KCC, warning that the move could have far-reaching implications for dairy farmers, employees and other stakeholders.
New submarine cable puts Kenya's Coast on digital growth path
A new submarine cable linking Mombasa to Lamu could reshape Kenya's coastal economy by opening the region to more data centres, cloud services and technology businesses.
.
RECOMMENDED NEWS