Kenya Kicks Out Italian Investor Setting Up Plant in Western
The State Department of Mining on behalf of the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy, and Maritime Affairs expelled an Italian investor who was awarded a contract to establish a multimillion-dollar granite foundry in Vihiga county.
Through a notice shared by the governor of Vihiga, Wilber Ottichilo, the mining ministry is now soliciting new bids for the construction of the granite facility.
The Italian investor was awarded the bid in 2021 by the administration of former President Uhuru Kenyatta.
“The Ministry invites expression of interest from qualified bidders to establish a Granite Processing Plant in Vihiga County, Kenya. The identified investor will undertake granite mining to provide inputs to the Processing Plant,” the new tender invite read in part.
According to Ottichilo, the proposed facility will be built in Bunyore West Ward, Emuhaya Sub County.
This is the same location where the previous investor was given land to construct the granite facility and where the land was already fenced.
Vihiga County and the National Government did not explain why the previous company’s bid was canceled.
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In the new solicitation, the successful investor will construct, operate, and transfer the processing facility to the government after the allotted period.
To incentivize new investors, the government announced that it would facilitate the procurement of requisite authorizations and licenses for granite mining near the established plant.
As a result of the government’s encouragement of the use of processed granite slabs in all public construction projects, the investor will also reap billions from the granite facility.
In the previous contract, the government selected the Italian investor after the Ministry of Petroleum and Mining issued an international expression of interest.
The new investor must be able to raise sufficient funds for the investment, have balance sheets audited by a reputable firm for the previous three years, and have at least three years of experience in mining, mineral processing, or value addition.
A week after President William Ruto toured the region to inaugurate various industrial and infrastructure developments, a new development was made.
Kenya Kicks Out Italian Investor Setting Up Plant in Western
