President William Ruto on Tuesday launched a KSh70 billion cement and clinker factory in Mwingi North, Kitui County, with the plant expected to be ready by August 2027.
The factory is being built by Devki Group and is expected to produce 3 million tonnes of clinker and 1.2 million tonnes of cement every year.
About 4,000 workers are currently involved in the construction, with the company expected to employ more than 3,000 people directly once the factory is complete.
The project will also create business for local traders and suppliers who stand to benefit from the factory’s operations.
The plant will have its own 35MW power plant to support production. It will also generate another 15MW of electricity by recovering heat produced during manufacturing.
Once operational, the factory will raise National Cement Company’s total clinker production capacity to 8 million tonnes annually.
The additional output is expected to serve the local market, with surplus production going to Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania.
The cement factory launch came a day after Ruto oversaw other projects in Kitui.
Among them was the Kabati Affordable Housing Project in Kitui West, which is expected to deliver 190 housing units within 18 months. The project is also expected to provide jobs for local youth and business for Jua Kali artisans supplying construction materials.
In Matinyani, the President commissioned the 132kV Kitui Sub-Station, which completes the power link between Garissa and Sultan Hamud. The project is expected to improve electricity supply for more than 40,000 people and support agribusiness in the area.
The cement factory is expected to be completed in August 2027, bringing more production capacity to the local cement industry and creating jobs in the area.
