Kitui set to get first cement plant following Sh70 billion Devki investment
Ruto commended Devki Group for investing in the project, saying the government wanted natural resources to generate employment, support businesses and improve household incomes.
Kitui County is set to get its first cement manufacturing plant following the groundbreaking of a Sh70 billion Devki Group project in Ngaaie. The project is expected to create jobs, boost local businesses and turn the region’s limestone deposits into economic opportunities for residents.
President William Ruto presided over the groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, saying the investment would strengthen local manufacturing, reduce reliance on imported clinker and increase Kenya’s capacity to produce construction materials.
“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.
Ruto commended Devki Group for investing in the project, saying the government wanted natural resources to generate employment, support businesses and improve household incomes.
Devki Group Executive Chairman Narendra Raval said the company had spent about 10 years planning to establish the plant, with the area’s limestone deposits making it a suitable location.
“We started dreaming of putting up this plant about 10 years ago. This was tried before by cabro and cement companies to establish a cement plant in Ngaaie because of the deposits we have of limestone in Ngaaie,” Raval said.
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Recalling his earlier visits to the area, Raval said Ngaaie had limited roads and was largely covered by bush. “I used to come here when it was totally bushy. There were no roads,” he said.
He said the lack of employment and business opportunities had contributed to social challenges among young people, recalling an encounter with children sleeping on a county road while intoxicated.
He expressed hope that the plant would improve livelihoods by creating jobs and opening up opportunities for businesses in the surrounding community.
Raval also spoke about his relationship with Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka, describing him as a close friend and expressing hope that he would join the government.
“I am a businessman, and I only fear God. Kalonzo Musyoka is a very good friend of mine, and we pray that he will be in the government,” he said.
An aerial view of the site in Ngaaie, Mwingi North, Kitui County, where Devki Group is set to establish a Sh70 billion clinker and cement plant following its groundbreaking by President William Ruto on October 27, 2026. (Photo: PCS)Ruto said the government introduced the Export and Investment Promotion Levy on imported clinker in 2023 to encourage local production and support investment in the manufacturing sector.
He cited Devki’s clinker plant in Sebit, West Pokot, which he commissioned in April 2024 and which has a production capacity of 6,000 tonnes daily.
The President 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 daily capacity of 5,000 tonnes.
According to the Head of State, Kenya’s cement production rose from 8.85 million tonnes in 2024 to 10.44 million tonnes in 2025, an increase of 18 per cent. Output reached 7.62 million tonnes in the first eight months of 2026, up from 6.68 million tonnes recorded during the same period last year.
Ruto said the country should develop manufacturing industries capable of competing in East Africa and across the continent, adding that the government would work to reduce the cost of doing business while manufacturers invest in efficient technologies and skilled workers.
He noted that foreign direct investment increased from $1.5 billion (Sh194.8 billion) in 2022 to a record $3.2 billion (Sh 415.5 billion) in 2025.
Among the projects he cited was the proposed $16 billion Dangote refinery in Lamu, whose construction is expected to require more than two million tonnes of cement. He said this would create additional demand for locally manufactured construction materials, alongside planned port infrastructure developments.
Ruto also cited a proposed $3 billion electric mobility investment announced through a framework signed on October 6, 2026. The project envisages annual production capacity of 50,000 four-wheel vehicles and 100,000 two-wheelers, alongside other light-mobility vehicles and charging infrastructure.
The President said 303,910 homes were at various stages of development under the government’s housing programme, alongside investments in modern markets and student accommodation.
He said these projects would create demand for cement, steel, glass, tiles and other locally manufactured construction materials.
He urged Devki to work with technical and vocational training institutions to provide apprenticeships and practical training for young people in Kitui, enabling them to qualify for technical, operational and management positions.
He also called for local transporters, maintenance firms, food suppliers, traders and other service providers to receive fair opportunities to do business with the plant.
The President said the project should maintain safe working conditions, use water responsibly, control dust and ensure mined land is rehabilitated.
He added that the government’s industrialisation programme, including County Aggregation and Industrial Parks, Special Economic Zones and Export Processing Zones, was intended to attract investment, expand local production and strengthen supply chains.
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