Galana Kulalu to be gazetted SEZ: Kagwe
Business
By
Irene Githinji
| Dec 03, 2025
The government plans to gazette Galana Kulalu as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ).
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said this is meant to accelerate the private sector’s participation in unlocking idle public land across the country.
He said the new SEZ will offer strong investment incentives, attract global agribusiness players, and fast-track value addition in edible oils, cereals, horticulture, livestock and industrial crops. “The SEZ status will enable tax benefits, simplified regulatory approvals, and enhanced infrastructure support for investors working within the expansive block,” Kagwe said.
The government will also expand the Land Commercialisation Initiative (LCI) to include idle land in counties, prison farms, and other government institutions, ensuring that all available public land contributes to national food security, manufacturing and job creation.
READ MORE
Kenya Power on the spot for neglecting off-grid stations
Saccos' Sh40b at risk as regulator warns of foreign aid dependence
How AI can help businesses save millions on manual procurement
Every risk matters: How foresight can save firms before disaster hits
Calls for more funding for education technology startups as financing dips
Kenya stakes claim as Africa's next innovation and deal-making capital
Investments in agriculture spur Tharaka Nithi's economy
Report: Most Kenyans worried about own economic future
The good, the bad and the ugly of draft local content law
Safaricom Sh15b bond a boost for turbulent domestic debt market
“Kenya cannot afford idle land while we are importing food. All counties must bring forward land that can be productive, and we will partner with private investors to unlock its full value.
There has been a lot of scepticism, but the role of the private sector must be enhanced,” the CS said. To remove bureaucratic delays that have historically slowed agricultural investment, the ministry, Kagwe said, has established a One-Stop LCI Office, which now consolidates all approval processes.
Through this mechanism, CS Kagwe confirmed that investors will be able to acquire land for agricultural ventures within a month, a move expected to dramatically increase Kenya’s competitiveness as an agri-investment destination. Through the private-sector investment, especially capital-intensive ventures that create jobs, the CS said it will be a game-changer for Kenya’s agricultural future.
Under the Galana Kulalu project, the government has begun leasing the land to private investors, where the Nyumba Agri Foundation is making inroads in food production for the local market, particularly targeting seed maize, cassava and onion