Devki Group is set to start construction of a cement plant in West Pokot next year, which is expected to create thousands of jobs for the local community. The project is currently at the public participation stage and will take only 18 months to complete. Mining and Petroleum CS John Munyes has termed the investment as a blessing to Pokot and the country at large, promising to give the investor needed support to complete the project. West Pokot Governor John Lonyangapuo said the investment is a huge boost to the economy of the county and the region at large as it will create job opportunities and boost business activities in the area.
Originally, Cemtech Company was given 650 acres of land freehold for Sh131 million to set up the plant but opted to sell it to Devki Group after facing financial constraints that saw it delay construction for a decade. The Competition Authority of Kenya (CAK) approved the acquisition by Simba Cement, a subsidiary of the Devki Group of Companies in 2019, for a price both parties declined to mention.
The West Pokot plant is Devki Group's new project to cut cement prices in the region, after investing in clinker production. The company is already producing on the clinker line in Mbirikani with an annual combined capacity of three million tonnes and is now supplying neighboring countries including Uganda, Rwanda, and Burundi. The plant, equipped with a 15-megawatt power plant, also supplies clinker to Hima Cement, Lafarge, and Metro Cement among others.
The clinker plant, built on 2,200 acres of land estimated to have up to 60 million tonnes of limestone reserves, has created at least 700 direct jobs. The factory has already employed at least 1,000 people and is selling cement at Sh530 in Nakuru and its environs down from Sh750 in support of the Big 4 agenda on affordable housing.
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