Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku has demanded Ksh13 billion from Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited in outstanding land rates before the company is allowed to resume operations at Lake Magadi.
Lenku said the company must settle its debt to the county government as part of the conditions for reopening its operations.
Speaking on Citizen TV on Sunday, September 13, the governor also called for some of the land occupied by the company to be returned to the local community.
“We have many concerns about it. We in the county government are supposed to get our land rates. The company is the only one in the country that does not pay land rates. They owe the county government Ksh13 billion,” Lenku said.
The governor claimed that Tata Chemicals occupies more than 200,000 acres of land but uses only about 11,000 acres for its salt mining operations.
He said the rest of the land should be returned to the community, which relies on the area for grazing.
“Magadi is occupying huge grazing land for our community. The salt is only 11,000 acres, yet they occupy over 200,000 acres of land,” he said.
Lenku also wants companies operating in the area to provide greater benefits to the local community, including fairer terms for sharing the proceeds from natural resources.
His demands come as the government reviews the issues surrounding Tata Chemicals Magadi following the suspension of its operations at Lake Magadi.
Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho recently formed a technical committee to look into the company’s compliance issues before the suspension can be lifted.
The committee is expected to address several outstanding matters, including mineral beneficiation and value addition in Kenya, community benefits, royalty payments and land-related issues.
President William Ruto ordered the suspension of Tata Chemicals’ operations after nearly 100 years of activity at Lake Magadi.
Ruto has criticised the company over its impact on the local community and said the area should attract investors who will establish factories in Kenya and add value to minerals instead of exporting raw materials.
The dispute has now placed land ownership, county revenue and benefits to the Magadi community at the centre of discussions on whether Tata Chemicals will resume operations.
