Ruto Issues Ultimatum to Tata Chemicals Magadi or Face Action

President William Ruto has issued an ultimatum to Tata Chemicals Magadi Ltd, demanding greater investment in local industries and more economic opportunities for residents of Kajiado County.

Speaking in Kajiado on Thursday, September 3, 2026, during his development tour of the county, Ruto questioned the extent to which the company’s long-running operations at Lake Magadi have benefited the local community.

“They have not constructed anything in Kajiado, including even employing people here. I recently told them to vacate and get out of this country. Let them go. They have been taking our resources to India,”

He said companies extracting resources in the country must go beyond taking raw materials and should invest in processing and manufacturing activities that create jobs and stimulate local economies.

Ruto Demands More Benefits for Kajiado Residents

Ruto also criticised Tata Chemicals Magadi over what he described as inadequate local value addition despite the company having operated in the area for 100 years.

“Tata company has been with that tender for about 100 years now, but they have not built anything for the residents. They have done nothing for Kajiado people completely, and that’s why I recently told them to vacate,” Ruto said.

Also Read: CS Joho Orders Immediate Shutdown of Tata Chemicals Magadi Mining Operations

The President said companies operating in resource-rich areas should ensure local communities benefit from the economic activities taking place in their regions.

He said the government would bring in a new company to exploit the resources, but with conditions aimed at ensuring Kajiado benefits directly from its minerals.

Ruto added that the new investor would be required to establish a glass processing plant and a chemical processing company in Kajiado, creating opportunities for local employment and value addition.

In addition, the President insisted that Kenya could no longer allow foreign companies to extract local resources without creating economic opportunities within the communities where the resources are found.

CS Joho Suspends Mining in Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited

Ruto’s remarks come a month after Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho ordered the immediate suspension of all mining operations at Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited over alleged non-compliance with mining laws.

Joho said the decision followed years of engagement between the State Department for Mining and Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited over the company’s compliance with its statutory obligations.

Also Read: US-Led Consortium Among Firms Shortlisted for Lucrative Kenyan Mining Project

He said the engagements focused on requirements under the Mining Act, the Mining (Licence and Permit) Regulations 2017, and the Mining (Royalty Collection and Management) Regulations 2024.

CS Joho further noted that several critical compliance issues remain unresolved, forcing him to order the firm’s shutdown, including the lack of a clear mineral beneficiation strategy, outstanding royalty reconciliation and payment obligations, inadequate export reporting, and poor implementation of Community Development Agreements (CDAs).

Tata Chemicals Magadi is Africa’s largest manufacturer of soda ash and salt, owned by the Indian conglomerate Tata Group through its subsidiary, Tata Chemicals Limited.

The company mines trona deposits from Lake Magadi and processes the mineral into soda ash and various grades of salt used in industries such as glass manufacturing.

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