Revamped Rivatex expected to transform North Rift economy
State and Rivatex officials during a recent tour of the factory. Expectations are high among residents of the North Rift after the re-launch of the Sh5 billion ultra-modern clothes factory. PHOTO | FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The textile firm has been given a new lease of life after it was bought by Moi University.
- The government of Kenya and its development partner – India – have pumped billions of shillings to jumpstart operations.
- Fraudsters have started to dupe Kenyans on non-existent job offers at Rivatex.
Expectations are high among residents of the North Rift after the re-launch of the Sh5 billion ultra-modern Rivatex East Africa Limited, more than 10 years after it was placed under receivership due to financial and financial management.
The textile firm has been given a new lease of life after it was bought by Moi University, while the government of Kenya and its development partner – India – have pumped billions of shillings to jumpstart operations and create new employment and business opportunities that will transform the economy of the agriculture-rich North Rift region.
SH1BN BOOST
The company received a boost after the National Treasury allocated Sh1.1 billion in the 2019-2020 financial year budget, with President Uhuru Kenyatta disclosing that it will directly create 3,000 jobs and another 10,000 indirectly.
The head of State said this launching the new factory.
But the Nation has learnt that even before the company advertises for various job vacancies, fraudsters have started to dupe Kenyans on non-existent job offers, forcing the Rivatex management to dispel the rumours which have been doing rounds on social media.
NO JOBS ADVERTISED
“This is to inform our esteemed public that there are no job vacancies at the moment. We are aware that, following President Uhuru Kenyatta’s recent visit, there is a lot of information circulating on social media on our purported job offers,” the statement from the company sent to newsrooms on Tuesday evening said.
The company has made it clear that their recruitment process is always made public through their website and local dailies.
BE PATIENT
“In this regard, we urge the public to be patient until we make such an announcement. For now, we are not hiring. Nobody should ask for money while promising you a slot at our facility,” the letter from Rivatex said.
The modernisation of the factory will increase the consumption of cotton from 10,000 bales against a projected capacity of 100,000 a day, translating to a production of over 40,000 metres of linen in a day.
