Hopes dim as Pokot cement factory in limbo 10 years later

News of a planned cement factory at Sebit in West Pokot County 10 years ago aroused great excitement, with many residents looking forward to getting employment, economic and social improvement.

A decade later, eyebrows are being raised over what could have gone wrong as the project is yet to see the light of the day. Unemployment bites in the county as residents’ hopes of getting jobs in the cement factory dim.

The project to be put up by investors from India would have also opened up the region that has lagged in development following years of neglect and save youths from engaging in cattle rustling and banditry along Kitale-Lodwar highway.

The proposed factory, launched by ODM leader Raila Odinga when he was the prime minister, was expected to employ more than 4,500 people directly and indirectly, but many residents continue to languish in abject poverty after selling their land.

The Executive in-charge of trade, Monges Lotodo, said the county sought audience with the Ministry of Mining a month ago. “We have convened a meeting with the investors; the public will be involved so that they can tell us the plans they have for the county,” said Lotodo.

Despite the numerous promises from Shanghi Cemetch Group that work would start ‘soon’, there has been nothing to write home about.

Soon after the official commissioning of the project, there was a scramble for prime land around Sebit.

READ: Corporate India struggles to crack Kenyan market

Traders from as far as Eldoret, Kitale and Kapenguria moved to acquire premises or buy plots to put up commercial buildings due to anticipated business.

“We wanted to grab the opportunity to set up a base before the operations of the plant began. The price of land is going up,” said John Kemboi at the site.

Land in Sebit shot up from Sh10,000 for an eighth of an acre to Sh70,000.

A spot check at Sebit and Ortum this week showed that land prices have more than tripled, with an acre selling at Sh300,000.

Financial institutions were also angling for a piece of Sebit.

But it seems they hoped for too much.
In 2017, a delegation led by former Governor Simon Kachapin visited India for discussions with Shanghi Cemetch Group. He said they had already signed a contract with the company and would reject any new investor.

Cemetch fenced off the area putting up a perimeter wall where the general manager, Diptish Nandha, said they were to begin implementing the Sh14 billion project last year.

He attributed the delay to logistical challenges. “We have solved the two major problems — quality of the limestone content and ground geometric technicality. These affected the location of the plant,” he said.

The company acquired a 650-acre piece of land with a 99-year lease five years ago for the plant. The lease and the contract were approved by the now defunct local authority and reviewed and renewed by the county government.

The county is expected to benefit from a modern, environment-friendly factory, staff houses, schools, a medical centre, staff training centre and other amenities.

A 64MW power plant is also to be constructed for factory use and injection of extra electricity to the national grid.

Residents have complained that the project has taken long to start and wondered why the investor has been promising, but up to now he has not commenced the construction of the facility.

“We shall take our land back if he is not ready for the job. The investor has been promising several times. If he doesn’t show up, let him go and we look for a new investor who is willing to construct the plant. We want him to come and start the construction,” said Tecla Kaston a resident this week.