Lawmakers have raised concern over the slow implementation of the Nyeri County Aggregation and Industrial Park in Naromoru, after it emerged that the project has reached only about 30 per cent completion amid funding delays affecting its progress.
A sub-committee of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives visited the site on Wednesday to assess how far the construction has gone under the national government’s wider plan to establish industrial parks across counties to support value addition and industrial growth.
The inspection team, led by Othaya MP Michael Wainaina, noted that work on the facility is being done in phases but progress has been slower than expected. The legislators pointed to delayed release of funds from the national government as a key factor affecting the delivery timelines.
Committee members warned that if the funding gaps persist, the project risks further delays, which could deny local residents the anticipated economic gains such as employment opportunities and better access to markets for agricultural produce.
Nyeri County Chief Officer for Trade Ibrahim Adan told the committee that the county government remains committed to supporting the project until completion. He said the county is aware of its shared responsibility in the project and is trying to commit resources despite financial pressure.
However, he also acknowledged that irregular flow of funds has remained a major setback, slowing down construction works and affecting overall implementation plans.
Wainaina said the committee’s visit was part of its oversight mandate to ensure public resources are used effectively and that all ongoing projects are delivered within set timelines for the benefit of citizens.
He further noted that once completed, the Naromoru CAIP is expected to play a central role in strengthening local production systems and supporting farmers through value addition.
He also described Naromoru as a strategic location for the project, saying it is widely considered Nyeri County’s main food production zone and a key supplier of agricultural produce in the region.
Wainaina added that timely completion of the facility would directly benefit farmers by reducing post-harvest losses and improving market access, noting that the industrial park will include cold storage facilities to support preservation of produce.
In December 2025, the national government announced it had plans to fully fund industrial park projects in 24 counties by June 2026, after setting aside Sh4.45 billion in the current fiscal year.
This came as part of efforts to complete County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs) that remain unfinished in counties previously funded.
Earlier, full funding was provided for CAIPs in 10 counties during the year ending June 2025. Despite the allocation, none of these facilities has been completed, delaying the government’s goal of promoting local manufacturing and value addition.
The CAIPs initiative, launched in 2023, seeks to establish manufacturing and value-addition hubs in every county.
Each park has an estimated cost of Sh500 million, with funding shared equally between the national and county governments. Counties with the highest progress so far as of December 2025 included Meru (92 per cent), Embu (83 per cent), Kirinyaga (81 per cent), Migori (80 per cent) and Garissa (79 per cent), according to the State Department for Industry.