President William Ruto addresses residents of Kajiado on September 3, 2026/PCSPresident William Ruto says he ordered the closure of Tata’s Lake Magadi soda ash operations over what he termed inadequate local investment and failure to add value to the county’s natural resources.
Ruto said the county was endowed with vast resources, including Lake Magadi, which should be used to drive industrialisation and create jobs for residents.
“Ile kampuni ya Tata pale wamekuwa na kandarasi ya miaka mia moja, hawajajenga chochote Kajiado, hawajaweka kiwanda chochote hapa, hawajaajiri watu wowote Kajiado,” Ruto said.
The President said the government had taken issue with the company’s operations because resources extracted from Kajiado were being taken outside the country for processing, denying residents the full economic benefits.
“Mimi juzi nikaambia wafunge virago watoke,” he said Thursday in Kajiado during a development tour of the county.
Ruto said the government wanted any new investor operating in Kajiado to establish industries locally and ensure value addition took place within the county.
“Tumesema tutaleta kampuni ingine mpya, na masharti ya hiyo kampuni mpya waweke kampuni kubwa hapa ya kutengeneza glass na kampuni ya kutengeneza chemicals hapa,” he said.
He questioned why Kenya should continue exporting raw materials when they could be processed locally to create employment and stimulate economic growth.
“Kwani sisi ni watumwa wa watu wengine? Kwani hii Kajiado itajengwa namna gani? Si itajengwa na rasilimali iko hapa?” Ruto asked.
The President said his administration would prioritise investments that benefit host communities through jobs, manufacturing and local value addition.
His remarks come as the government steps up efforts to ensure Kenya derives greater economic value from its natural resources rather than exporting raw materials for processing abroad.
Lake Magadi is known for its deposits of soda ash, an industrial mineral used in the manufacture of glass, chemicals and other products.
Ruto said the government’s objective was not merely to replace one investor with another, but to change the model of resource exploitation by requiring investors to establish processing and manufacturing facilities locally.
He argued that such an approach would create jobs for residents, expand the county’s tax base, stimulate businesses and retain more value from Kajiado’s resources within Kenya.
The President said the transformation of Kajiado must be anchored on the resources found within the county, rather than relying solely on external investments or government handouts.
His comments also signal a tougher approach by the government towards investors whose operations are seen as failing to deliver sufficient local economic benefits.
Ruto said communities must be placed at the centre of resource development, with investment, employment and industrialisation forming part of the bargain between the government and private investors.
The President maintained that Kajiado had the natural resources required to become an industrial hub if properly harnessed.
The government, he said, would therefore continue pushing for local value addition as part of efforts to transform Kenya from an exporter of raw materials into a manufacturing economy.
