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In a landmark event for Kenya’s mining sector, the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs has officially handed over the site for the Fluorspar Processing Plant in Elgeyo Marakwet. This development promises to transform the serene valleys, hills, and villages of Kimwarer with the roar of engines, marking the much-anticipated revival of fluorspar processing operations in the region.
The historic event witnessed the strategic investor, Soy-Fujax, taking over the facility after a nine-year hiatus. This move stands as a testament to the Kenyan government’s unwavering commitment to investing in crucial sectoral interventions, focusing on initiatives that add value and create employment opportunities for the youth in Kenya.
The ceremony was graced by high-profile leaders, including the Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs, H.E. Salim Mvurya, and Elgeyo Marakwet Governor, H.E. Wisley Rotich. Their presence underscored the significance of this event, which marks not only the revival of fluorspar processing operations in Kenya but also the hopes for enhanced socio-economic welfare for thousands in the region.
Other notable attendees included Hon. Senator William Kipkemoi Kisang, Women Representative Hon. Caroline Ng’elechei, Keiyo South MP Hon. Gideon Kimaiyo, and various members of the County Assembly and senior national and county government officials. Senior directors from the consortium of companies set to operate the plant, including Soy Fluorspar, Fujax East Africa, and Fujax UK, were also present.
The investor, Soy-Fujax, will inject Ksh 4.8 billion into reviving the plant, with operations slated to begin by January 2025. The first consignment of 30,000 tons of processed fluorspar is expected to reach the international market by the end of February 2025.
Local leaders and residents have hailed the plant’s reopening as a new dawn, reflecting on the severe adverse effects experienced by the community and local economy when the plant closed in 2016. With operations set to resume, the community eagerly anticipates numerous benefits, including the bolstering of local enterprises, creation of employment opportunities, skill transfers, and overall improvement of the socio-economic welfare of residents.
The State Department for Mining remains committed to continuously revamping the sector through collaborative investments, which have begun yielding dividends by establishing value addition facilities locally. With the plant’s engines expected to run at full throttle within six months, the department pledges to work closely with all stakeholders, including county governments and investors, ensuring Kenyans reap the benefits of the country’s mineral resources.
Moreover, the State Department’s efforts are not limited to fluorspar alone. An investor is currently working on a gold refinery in Kakamega County, while another is poised to take over the granite plant in Vihiga County and the soapstone processing facility in Kisii County. These initiatives highlight Kenya’s latent potential in mining and its determination to become a powerhouse in mineral processing on the global stage
