Tata Chemicals says Kenya High Court has no jurisdiction over TCML dispute

Tata Chemicals on Saturday said the High Court of Kenya has ruled that it lacks jurisdiction over a dispute involving its Kenyan subsidiary, Tata Chemicals Magadi Ltd (TCML), and cannot take further steps in the matter. The company said the subsidiary is examining the October 23 order and will decide on the next legal steps.

"The High Court of Kenya has passed an order dated October 23, 2026, that the Hon’ble Court has no jurisdiction on the dispute and cannot take any further steps. TCML, is examining the order and will take legal and all other necessary steps for way forward in this matter," said the chemicals major in an exchange filing.

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The company had earlier this month announced that it would set up a high-level technical committee with the Kenyan government to review regulatory issues concerning TCML, as the company seeks to resolve a dispute that had earlier led authorities to order the suspension of its operations.

The committee, to be jointly led by Kenya's Principal Secretary for Mining and TCML's chief executive officer, will conduct a detailed technical review of the issues raised by the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs and submit a report to the office of the Cabinet Secretary for further consideration and direction.

The proposed committee will also work towards establishing a sustainable framework for responsible mining, value addition, community development and mutually beneficial partnerships.

The development comes amid a regulatory row between the Kenyan government and TCML, the company's Kenyan subsidiary, which operates the Magadi soda ash business.

In an earlier exchange filing, Tata Chemicals said TCML had submitted all the required information, reports and documentation to the Kenyan government on August 11 and was fully compliant with applicable regulatory requirements. The company was awaiting the ministry's review of its submissions and further directions.

The dispute escalated after Kenya President William Ruto said he had ordered Tata Chemicals to stop its operations in the country, arguing that the company's presence had failed to adequately benefit Kenya. Ruto had also said the government planned to bring in two companies to take over the operations.

In late July, Kenyan government had ordered TCML to suspend operations at the Magadi Soda factory and halted exports of soda ash.

Tata Chemicals acquired the Magadi plant in 2005 and has said the business remains an integral part of its operations. The company had earlier said it respected the authority of the Kenyan government and remained committed to resolving the outstanding matters through constructive engagement and appropriate legal and regulatory channels.