Ruto changes tune on Magadi soda ash mining after uproar over Tata Chemicals exit order
President now says the contract will be re-advertised for competitive bidding.
President William Ruto has announced a new mining contract for the Magadi soda ash operation, ending Tata Chemicals' long-standing concession. Ruto stated that the government will now open the sector to broader participation and require future operators to process minerals within Kenya, rather than exporting raw materials, which he described as an exploitative model.
The decision marks the end of nearly a century of extractive arrangement that denied local communities their fair share of benefits from the soda ash deposits at Lake Magadi. The new approach will also mandate that companies establish processing and manufacturing facilities in Kenya, generating wealth and jobs for the Kajiado region.
This move follows the government's suspension of Tata Chemicals' mining operations in July 2026, which escalated tensions between Kenya and the Indian-owned firm. The Magadi operation, one of Kenya's oldest commercial mining ventures, has historically exported most of its production through the Port of Mombasa, but the new contract aims to create value at home and stimulate local industries.
Written by urgent.news from People Daily Kenya's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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