‘Are we slaves to others?’: Kenyan President Ruto orders Tata Chemicals to halt operations

Kenyan President William Ruto has ordered Tata Chemicals to stop operations in Kenya, saying the company’s presence had failed to deliver sufficient benefits to the country, Reuters reported on Thursday.

Ruto said the government would bring in two new companies to take over Tata Chemicals’ operations.

“We have said we will bring a new company and... they should put a big glass company here in Kajiado. And another company to make chemicals here in Kajiado. Are we slaves to other people?” Ruto said during a visit to Kajiado in southern Kenya.


He said Tata had held the contract for 100 years but had not built a factory in the region.

The development follows a late-July order by Kenya’s government for Tata Chemical Limited to suspend operations at the Magadi Soda factory and halt soda ash exports, Reuters reported. Ruto said the government now plans to bring in new companies to establish glass and chemical manufacturing facilities in Kajiado.