- Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi warns that forcing Tata Chemicals out could strain Kenya-India relations and unsettle investors.
- He says disputes involving major investors should be handled through established legal and regulatory processes.
- His remarks follow President William Ruto’s order for Tata Chemicals to leave Lake Magadi over concerns about limited local industrial investment.
Expelling Tata Chemicals from Magadi in Kajiado County may spark a diplomatic tiff between Kenya and India and diminish investor confidence, Machakos Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi has warned.
Mwangangi pointed out that Tata is a major corporate name in India, highly respected by the government, and that its expulsion from Kenya could cause diplomatic repercussions.
“The Tata name in India is like Safaricom in Kenya. What will happen because India will seek to defend their company? How will Kenya’s image be in the international community?” Mwangangi posed.
He added that many Kenyans could also lose their jobs as a result of the closure.
Tata Chemicals says its Magadi operation employs more than 600 people and is one of Kenya’s leading exporters.
Mwangangi warns over investor confidence
Mwangangi said there is need to reassure the international community that Kenya is safe for business and investment, and that disputes should be resolved through legal and regulatory channels rather than public expulsion orders.
The Machakos Deputy Governor spoke during a church service in Katangi, Yatta, on Sunday.
His remarks came days after President William Ruto ordered Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited to cease operations at Lake Magadi.
Speaking in Kajiado on Thursday, September 3, Ruto accused the company of extracting soda ash for decades without establishing sufficient local manufacturing industries or creating enough benefits for communities in Kajiado. He said a new investor would be required to establish a glass manufacturing plant and a chemical-processing factory in the county.
“I told them to pack up their things and leave. Let them go,” Ruto said during his Kajiado tour.
The dispute had already escalated in July, when the government directed Tata Chemicals Magadi to suspend operations and soda-ash exports pending a compliance review.
Tata Chemicals has maintained that it is compliant with applicable regulatory requirements and has said it wants to resolve the dispute through constructive engagement with the Kenyan government.
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The company’s operations at Lake Magadi date back to the former Magadi Soda Company, established in 1911. Tata Chemicals acquired the business in 2005, while the underlying mineral rights are linked to a 1928 lease later extended to 2053.
By Stephen Muthini
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