Buildings at Sebit in West Pokot County put up in anticipation for a
windfall from a cement factory expected to be built. PHOTO | JARED
NYATAYA | NMG
News of a planned cement factory at Sebit in West Pokot County
10 years ago aroused great excitement, with many residents looking
forward to getting employment, economic and social improvement.
A
decade later, eyebrows are being raised over what could have gone wrong
as the project is yet to see the light of the day. Unemployment bites
in the county as residents’ hopes of getting jobs in the cement factory
dim.
The project to be put up by investors from India
would have also opened up the region that has lagged in development
following years of neglect and save youths from engaging in cattle
rustling and banditry along Kitale-Lodwar highway.
The
proposed factory, launched by ODM leader Raila Odinga when he was the
prime minister, was expected to employ more than 4,500 people directly
and indirectly, but many residents continue to languish in abject
poverty after selling their land.
The Executive
in-charge of trade, Monges Lotodo, said the county sought audience with
the Ministry of Mining a month ago. “We have convened a meeting with the
investors; the public will be involved so that they can tell us the
plans they have for the county,” said Lotodo.
Despite
the numerous promises from Shanghi Cemetch Group that work would start
‘soon’, there has been nothing to write home about.
Soon after the official commissioning of the project, there was a scramble for prime land around Sebit.
Traders
from as far as Eldoret, Kitale and Kapenguria moved to acquire premises
or buy plots to put up commercial buildings due to anticipated
business.
“We wanted to grab the opportunity to set up
a base before the operations of the plant began. The price of land is
going up,” said John Kemboi at the site.
Land in Sebit shot up from Sh10,000 for an eighth of an acre to Sh70,000.
A spot check at Sebit and Ortum this week showed that land prices have more than tripled, with an acre selling at Sh300,000.
Financial institutions were also angling for a piece of Sebit.
But it seems they hoped for too much.
In 2017, a delegation led by former Governor Simon Kachapin visited India for discussions with Shanghi Cemetch Group. He said they had already signed a contract with the company and would reject any new investor.
In 2017, a delegation led by former Governor Simon Kachapin visited India for discussions with Shanghi Cemetch Group. He said they had already signed a contract with the company and would reject any new investor.
Cemetch
fenced off the area putting up a perimeter wall where the general
manager, Diptish Nandha, said they were to begin implementing the Sh14
billion project last year.
He attributed the delay to
logistical challenges. “We have solved the two major problems — quality
of the limestone content and ground geometric technicality. These
affected the location of the plant,” he said.
The
company acquired a 650-acre piece of land with a 99-year lease five
years ago for the plant. The lease and the contract were approved by the
now defunct local authority and reviewed and renewed by the county
government.
The county is expected to benefit from a
modern, environment-friendly factory, staff houses, schools, a medical
centre, staff training centre and other amenities.
A 64MW power plant is also to be constructed for factory use and injection of extra electricity to the national grid.
Residents
have complained that the project has taken long to start and wondered
why the investor has been promising, but up to now he has not commenced
the construction of the facility.
“We shall take our
land back if he is not ready for the job. The investor has been
promising several times. If he doesn’t show up, let him go and we look
for a new investor who is willing to construct the plant. We want him to
come and start the construction,” said Tecla Kaston a resident this
week.
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