Balala asks mining firms to apply for new licences

Companies whose prospecting and mining licences were revoked last year have been asked to re-apply.

Mining secretary Najib Balala gave the directive on Tuesday during the ongoing Jubilee Government self-assessment exercise.

However, the minister said the licences of Dangote Cement, a company associated with Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote and one other firm have been cleared.

It is not clear how the two were given a clean bill of health.

“The report was handed over to us in January…..We have instructed those companies to reapply for their licences,” said Mr Balala.

He said the ministry is in the final stages of processing Dangote’s permit for limestone and gypsum for the company’s proposed $400 million cement firm at the coast.

Energy and Petroleum principal secretary Joseph Njoroge said the government has secured a long term concessional loan of $800 million to help Kenyans get connected to electricity at Sh35,000.

“Our target is to have Kenyans on the national grid increased from 32 per cent to 80 per cent in five years’ time,” said Mr Njoroge.

In Transport and Infrastructure, Principal Secretary Nduva Muli said the National Transport and Safety Authority will be strengthened in order to streamline the public transport sector. The ministry has also taken elaborate measures to cut the cost of roads construction and maintenance by 30 per cent.

ICT Minister Fred Matiang’i said the county connectivity project will be completed in the next financial year to help to deepen Internet access.

Tourism’s Phyllis Kandie said her ministry was looking at ways of diversifying the Kenyan tourism markets to increase returns. The marketing of East Africa as one tourist destination is also expected to boost the sector’s performance across the region.

Additional reporting by Ouma Wanzala