‘Are we slaves?’ Kenya orders Tata Chem to halt ops

Kenyan President William Ruto has directed Tata Chemicals to cease its operations in the country, arguing that the company's presence has not yielded significant advantages for Kenya, according to Reuters' Thursday report. In response, the government plans to introduce two new enterprises to assume Tata Chemicals' responsibilities.

In a visit to Kajiado in southern Kenya, Ruto questioned the necessity of Kenyan dependence on foreign entities. He stated, "Are we slaves to other people?" Ruto further revealed that Tata had been entrusted with the contract for 100 years without constructing a factory in the region. The situation follows a July decision by Kenya's government to halt operations at the Magadi Soda factory and cease soda ash exports.