(VOI, KENYA) – Taita Taveta County has recorded a major step in its industrial growth plan after the first shipment of raw iron ore was moved from Kishushe Ranch to the Devki Steel Mills processing plant in Manga. The factory, built at a cost of Sh11 billion (around $85 million), is set to be officially opened next month.
A ceremony held on Saturday marked the start of ore transport activities, a move that local leaders and residents have described as a turning point for the county’s mining and manufacturing sector.
Taita Taveta Governor Andrew Mwadime led the event and said the development signals the beginning of mineral value addition in the region. He noted that this is expected to open up economic opportunities that have remained untapped for decades. The Governor said the county is entering a new era in its mining journey. He added that the formal launch of Devki’s iron ore processing plant next month by President William Ruto would further strengthen the area’s position as a growing industrial centre.
Mr Mwadime explained that mining activities at Kishushe are expected to bring in roughly Sh540 million (about $4.18 million) in annual revenue to the county. This additional income, he said, will give the county government extra resources to improve service delivery and advance development projects.
The Governor said the county’s approach of pushing for mineral processing to happen within Kenya, rather than exporting raw ore, will create thousands of jobs, spur business activity, and increase local incomes. He stated that the push for value addition aims to ensure that local people benefit fully from the resources found within the county. Processing iron ore locally, he said, will generate employment, attract investors, and change lives.
For many years, the mining sector in Taita Taveta has faced a range of challenges. These have included disputes over mining area boundaries, delays in lease agreements, and concerns about how investors meet their social obligations to communities living in mining zones.
Governor Mwadime said that cooperation between the county government, the national government, Kishushe Ranch, and a special committee had made it possible to resolve these challenges. This, he noted, has unlocked the opportunity to tap into the county’s significant mineral wealth. He added that the goal is to position Taita Taveta as a leading mining and industrial hub in Kenya by attracting investment, creating opportunities, and changing the lives of local people.
The ceremony brought together various leaders, members of the Kishushe Ranch Cooperative Society, investors, and other stakeholders in what many present called a historic moment.
The Devki plant is one of the largest industrial investments in the Coastal region. It is expected to make a considerable contribution to strengthening Kenya’s steel manufacturing sector. Once it begins full operations, the plant will process iron ore mined at Kishushe. This factory is set to reduce the country’s dependence on raw materials from abroad and support the government’s agenda of growing domestic manufacturing industries.