Galana Kulalu to be gazetted SEZ: Kagwe

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.

“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