President William Ruto has broken ground for a KSh70 billion clinker and cement manufacturing plant in Ngaaie, Mwingi North, Kitui County.

The plant which is valued at 70 billion, will be the County’s first Cement plant. The President mentioned that the plant will help change the region’s limestone deposits into money making opportunities for the residents of Kitui.

Speaking during an interview today, he mentioned that producing the clincker inhouse would reduce reliance on foreign imports, create jobs and build Kenya’s industrial space.

“By producing clinker locally, we retain more value within our economy, create skilled jobs, build technical expertise, strengthen our industrial capacity, and create wealth in Kenya,” he said.

Devki Group Executive Chairman Narendra Naval mentioned that the Company had been planning to set up the plant for about 10 years mentioning the limestone deposit in Ngaaie as the main reason they settled on the area.

“We started dreaming of putting up this plant about 10 years ago. This was tried before by cabro and cement companies to establish a cement plant in Ngaaie because of the deposits we have of limestone in Ngaaie,” Raval said.

Raval remembered how he visited the area when it was covered by bushes and had few roads .

“I used to come here when it was totally msituni. Nilikuwa natembea na mguu, hata hakuna barabara,” he said.