Lenku Demands Sh13bn Rates, Land Return From Tata Chemicals
He described the situation as a historical land injustice and called for a review of the amount of land under the company’s control.
Photo: Courtesy.
By Robert Mutasi
Kajiado Governor Joseph Ole Lenku has stepped up pressure on Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited, demanding the company settle billions of shillings in outstanding land rates and surrender land he says is not being used for mining operations.
Lenku said the county government is seeking Sh13 billion in unpaid land rates from the company, making payment a key condition as discussions continue over the future of its operations at Lake Magadi.
Speaking during an interview with Citizen TV on Sunday, September 13, the governor accused the company of benefiting from a long-standing land arrangement that has disadvantaged residents of Magadi.
He described the situation as a historical land injustice and called for a review of the amount of land under the company’s control.
According to Lenku, Tata Chemicals occupies more than 200,000 acres in the area but its actual salt extraction activities are conducted on roughly 11,000 acres.
The governor argued that the unused land should be returned to the local community, particularly because residents depend on the area for livestock grazing.
“Magadi is occupying huge grazing land for our community. The salt is only 11,000 acres, yet they occupy over 200,000 acres of land,” Lenku said.
The county government is also calling for stronger benefits for communities living around the mining area. Lenku said companies operating in Kajiado should provide fair returns to local residents and contribute more to development in areas where they conduct their activities.
The demands come as the national government reviews Tata Chemicals’ compliance with laws governing mining, land ownership and community benefits.
Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho recently formed a technical committee to examine outstanding issues surrounding the company after operations at Lake Magadi were suspended.
The committee is expected to investigate questions relating to mineral beneficiation and value addition within Kenya, community benefits, royalty payments and unresolved land matters before any decision is made on the resumption of operations.
The dispute follows President William Ruto’s directive that operations at the Magadi site be halted over concerns about the benefits accruing to local communities after decades of mining activity.
Ruto has argued that Kenya should move away from exporting raw minerals and instead encourage investors to establish processing and manufacturing facilities within the country.
The President has also indicated that the Magadi area should be opened to competitive investors capable of adding value to minerals locally and creating greater economic opportunities for residents.
The latest demands by the Kajiado government could therefore become a central issue in negotiations over the future of Tata Chemicals’ presence in Magadi, particularly as the national technical committee works to resolve the outstanding compliance and community concerns.
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