Meru leads race to open first county industrial park

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki. [DPCS]

The government will operationalise eight County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs) before the end of 2026, Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has.

 In a statement on September 2 Kindiki spoke after receiving the final technical preparedness reports for the first cohort of parks, which are being equipped ahead of commissioning.

Meru is closest to completion, with commissioning expected within September, pending outstanding legal and documentation procedures, he noted.

"I am satisfied that a lot of work has been done; most of these CAIPs are almost ready. I think the most ready is Meru, which this meeting has decided that, subject to several adjustments and finalisation of certain documentation and legal procedures, the Meru CAIPs can be commissioned within September," Kindiki noted.

Wajir will follow once outstanding works, legal texts and budget reallocations are finalised, he added.

Kisii, Migori, Embu and Garissa are targeted for commissioning by December, while Busia is also expected to be ready before year-end.

"We have also decided that Kisii can also be commissioned by the end of the year, by December; the same for Migori, the same for Embu and the same for Garissa. And for Busia also, we are looking towards finalisation for commissioning before December," he explained.

Each park will focus on a different product line. Meru and Embu will process macadamia, Kirinyaga will make tomato paste, Wajir will handle leather and camel milk, Kisii will produce avocado oil, Busia will process cassava starch, Garissa will refine sunflower oil and Migori will manufacture fish feed.

The CAIPs programme forms part of the government's wider industrialisation strategy, creating facilities where locally produced raw materials can be aggregated, processed and converted, according to Kindiki.

He also directed the ministry responsible for infrastructure to clear drainage systems in Nairobi, Mombasa and other major towns, and to keep roads and airstrips usable during emergencies.

On agriculture, Kindiki noted that the government had reduced the price of sexed semen for dairy production from Sh7,000 to Sh1,400 a dose.

The government had also cut the price of certified seeds by 50 per cent, effective immediately, as the country prepares for El Nino rains, he said.

"Now that the season was not very productive, we have reduced the price of certified seeds by 50 per cent, effective immediately. One kilo of certified seeds, which was going for 300 shillings, is now 150 shillings; two kilos, which was going for Sh 600, is now going for Sh 300," Kindiki added.