President William Ruto has presided over the groundbreaking for a Sh70 billion Devki clinker and cement plant in Ngaaie, Mwingi North, Kitui County, marking the establishment of the county’s first cement manufacturing plant as the government seeks to boost local production and reduce reliance on imports.
Speaking at the ceremony on Tuesday, Ruto said Kenya’s cement production rose by 18 per cent to 10.44 million tonnes in 2025, with output reaching 7.62 million tonnes in the first eight months of 2026, a 14 per cent increase from the same period last year.
“By producing clinker locally, we retain more value within our economy, create skilled jobs, build technical expertise, strengthen our industrial capacity, and create wealth in Kenya,” he said.
The president said the plant would help meet rising demand for construction materials driven by housing and infrastructure projects, while creating employment and business opportunities for residents.
Under the government’s housing programme, 303,910 homes are at various stages of development, alongside investments in markets and student accommodation.
Ruto said the government would continue supporting domestic manufacturing through policies encouraging local production and investment, citing the 2023 Export and Investment Promotion Levy on imported clinker.
He also announced plans to break ground for Bamburi Cement’s expansion in Matuga, Kwale County, in about three weeks. The project will include a clinker production plant with a capacity of 5,000 tonnes per day.
The president linked the investments to major infrastructure developments, including the planned Dangote refinery in Lamu, whose construction is expected to require more than two million tonnes of cement.
“Kitui limestone becomes Kenyan clinker, Kenyan clinker becomes Kenyan cement, and Kenyan cement builds homes for Kenyan families, and infrastructure for Kenyan businesses,” he said.
Devki Group chairman Narendra Raval said the company had invested Sh70 billion in the Kitui project and was employing 4,000 Kenyans during construction.
Raval said the group had initially considered setting up the plant elsewhere but decided to locate it in Ngaaie to bring employment opportunities closer to the local community.
“I woke up in the morning at four o’clock and called my CEO to stop the construction tomorrow. I cannot put up a plant in Mwingi. I will put it in Ngaaie because these people need more than anybody else,” he said.
He added that the company had spent Sh600 million acquiring land and constructing an access road, which he said would be tarmacked within six months after the rains.
Raval urged the government to maintain predictable investment policies, warning that frequent changes in laws could undermine investor confidence. He also cited high electricity costs and multiple levies as challenges facing manufacturers.
Ruto urged Devki to work with technical and vocational institutions to provide apprenticeships and practical training, saying young people in the region should have a pathway into technical, operational and managerial jobs.
He also called for responsible water use, dust control, safe workplaces and rehabilitation of mined land, saying industrial growth should improve the lives of surrounding communities.