Fertiliser plant and bicycle assembly firm get Vision 2030 status

Corporate News

From left, MEA Ltd Managing Director Eustace Muriuki, Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat Gituro Wainaina director general and Titus Gitau, Executive Director of Fertilpant East Africa during the signing an MOU on June 3, 2016. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU 

By JAMES KARIUKI, jkariuki@ke.nationmedia.com

In Summary

• Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat says deal is aimed at helping the two firms fast-track regulator approvals from various state agencies to enable them get into the marketplace as soon as possible.
• Fertilpant East Africa and Play Guru inked the deal with the Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat on Friday.

A proposed Sh3 billion fertiliser factory in Nakuru and a Nairobi-based bicycle assembly plant have been granted Vision 2030 flagship project status, a move that will see them work closely with government entities in their projects.

Fertilpant East Africa - a firm owned by 37-year-old family-run MEA Ltd - and Play Guru inked a deal with the Kenya Vision 2030 Delivery Secretariat (VDS) Friday in Nairobi.

READ: Nakuru set for fertiliser plant as Nema seeks public approval

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VDS Director General Professor Wainaina Gituro said the deal was aimed at helping the two firms fast-track regulator approvals from various state agencies to enable them get into the marketplace as soon as possible.

Prof Gituro said the secretariat’s role is to drive the government’s mission of creating jobs and ensuring more companies are established locally to serve the ever expanding regional market.

“We are happy to be associated with these two companies which will positively impact on the entire value chains in their respective industries for a healthy nation. Our goal is to promote establishment of companies that improve the quality of life for Kenyans,” he said.

Playguru’s founder, Wycliffe Waweru, who started off in 2010 with six bicycles said he looked forward to expanding his plant with six assembly lines via a franchise model so as to expand sports bicycle production.

The firm is in the process of establishing a bicycle assembly line that is projected to offer a sustainable solution to transport issues in Kenya. It is expected to produce 10,000 bicycles every month once in operation.

Fertilpant East Africa on the other hand said its plant, currently under construction in Nakuru and planned for completion in May 2017, expected to benefit immensely from the Standard Gauge Railway as it will reduce fertiliser input costs which have to be imported in bulk.

“While we shall expand employment opportunities for more Kenyans across the value chain, the price of fertiliser will drop by up to 70 per cent since production of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium fertiliser will be locally done instead of the current practice where the bulk of fertiliser is imported in a processed form,” said MEA Ltd Executive Director Titus Gitau.

Mr Gitau was optimistic that once operational, the plant would cut down the cost of fertiliser in the country by up to 70 per cent as well as creating a thousand direct jobs.

The plant is projected to produce 100,000 tonnes of fertiliser.

The Vision 2030 Secretariat says it is mandated to scout high impact projects being implemented by private companies which they assist to fast-track regulatory approvals from respective government agencies.

READ: Two Rivers Mall gets approval for Vision 2030 project status