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Tag: Sagana Industrial Park

  • Waiguru begins investor onboarding for Sagana Industrial Park ahead of commissioning

    Waiguru begins investor onboarding for Sagana Industrial Park ahead of commissioning

    Kirinyaga County Government has started process of onboarding investors who have expressed interest in setting up industries at the Sagana Industrial Park. 

    On Thursday, representatives from 13 companies that have committed to set up factories together with officials from Export Processing Zones Authority (EPZA) toured the facility.

    County Executive Committee Member for Cooperatives, Trade, Tourism, Marketing, Industrialization and Enterprise Development, Calbert Njeru who received the officials at the facility, expressed optimism that the onboarding process would be completed by the end of June.

    “The investor onboarding process is fast approaching and today we hosted another team from EPZA to take our investors through the process after they showed interest in investing in Sagana,” he said.

    Njeru noted that the county had made significant progress in putting in place infrastructure required to support industries at the facility.

    “In terms of infrastructural development we are at 90 percent. The road tarmacking will be done and a contractor has already been awarded the tender. For water, the Governor has already committed resources to ensure there is enough supply while electric power is already on site,” he added.

    Governor Anne Waiguru said the County Aggregation and Industrial Park (CAIP) and Export Processing Zone (EPZ) facilities at the park are now at 90 percent completion as investor onboarding officially begins.

    Construction of eight warehouses; two for cold rooms, two for aggregation and four for value addition is already complete.

    “Everyone is excited and we can all see that the Industrial Park is developing at a very fast rate. This is what we call tangible development,” she said.

    The Governor said the facility, located within the Sagana Agro-Industrial City, which is a designated Special Economic Zone (SEZ) will create jobs and open new markets for farmers by linking agricultural production to processing and manufacturing.

    “Once complete, this industrial park will directly employ over 10,000 youth while an additional 100,000 others will benefit indirectly from selling their produce here and offering associated services,” she added.

    Waiguru said the project is one of the county’s flagship economic transformation initiatives and will play a central role in strengthening Kirinyaga’s agricultural economy and positioning Kirinyaga as an emerging manufacturing and agro-processing hub in the region.

    “The industrial park will attract investors who will establish agro-processing factories at the facility, creating a reliable market for local farm produce and boosting incomes for farmers across the county. Other investment opportunities include logistics, packaging, warehousing and other industrial activities linked to the facility,” she said.

    EPZA Acting General Manager for Investment and Corporate Communication, Moses Kipkebut, said 13 investors from different sectors had already shown interest in setting up operations at the Sagana EPZ.

    “Today we have come here to meet our investors who have shown interest in the Sagana EPZ and onboard them as quickly as possible in anticipation of its commissioning by President Ruto soon,” said Kipkebut.

    Kipkebut said Sagana had a competitive advantage over many EPZs in the country due to its strategic location and strong agricultural base.

    “Sagana EPZ has several advantages as compared to other EPZs including proximity to Nairobi and the airport especially for fresh agro-processing. It is also located in one of the leading horticultural regions in Kenya while availability of water and improved infrastructure gives it an added advantage,” he added.

    He further noted that investors setting up at the facility would benefit from attractive tax incentives under the EPZ programme.

  • Waiguru: Setting up of Sagana Industrial Park taking shape with project at 85 pc completion

    Waiguru: Setting up of Sagana Industrial Park taking shape with project at 85 pc completion

    Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru says the setting up of the proposed Sagana Industrial park is taking shape with the construction of County Aggregation and Industrial Park (CAIP) and Special Economic Zone (SEZ) now at 85 percent completion.

    Waiguru said construction of warehouses, cold rooms and other infrastructures at the facility are going on smoothly within the set timelines.

    Speaking during project inspection tour on Tuesday, Waiguru added that 18 investors shortlisted to set up factories at the industrial park are roaring to go once all the infrastructure at the facility are in place.

    She said the high-value investors will put up agro-processing and manufacturing factories at the park.

    “This project is a game-changer for Kirinyaga, we are not only creating infrastructure but unlocking value chains for our farmers and generating sustainable employment opportunities for our young people,” she said.

    She noted that the customs controlled area has already been fully fenced with the Export Processing Zone (EPZ) advancing on steadily.

    “One warehouse is at 95%, while the others are at around 80%, only awaiting floor casting and wall finishes,” she explained, adding that the county has committed funds to build two additional warehouses to expand the park’s capacity.

    Waiguru said the shortlisted investors will set up industries dealing in the processing and manufacturing of goods for export, especially agricultural, leather and textiles.

    The facility is also in the process of getting the necessary amenities like water, road network, security and electricity connection.

    Sagana Industrial Park will be the first climate smart agro industrial city in central region, promoting agro processing and manufacturing and will be source of employment to many of the county residents.

    The County plan to advertise for lease of land and warehouses at the park.

    “We are positioning Sagana to become a key industrial hub in the region,” she stated. This development is projected to create more than 5,000 direct and indirect job opportunities for Kirinyaga residents,” he said.

    Governor Waiguru also highlighted the broader vision behind the project, which aligns with the national Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

    “This is how we bring BETA to life—by investing in real infrastructure that supports production, value addition, and access to markets,” she added.

    The inspection tour also included ongoing flood mitigation efforts through the construction of dykes to protect the park from seasonal flooding.

    “We are ensuring that this facility is not only functional but resilient. Every detail is being considered to make it sustainable in the long run,” she added.

     

  • Sagana Industrial Park in Kirinyaga gains key government endorsements

    Sagana Industrial Park in Kirinyaga gains key government endorsements

    Sagana Industrial Park in Kirinyaga has received endorsement from key national government agencies involved in local and international market linkage.

    Speaking during a high-level site visit, officials from five key government marketing and branding agencies commended County government of Kirinyaga for progress made towards completion of aggregation facilities at the park.

    The agencies included; State Department for Trade, Kenya National Multi-Commodities Exchange Company Limited (KOMEX), Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA), Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC), and the Warehouse Receipt System Council (WRS). Also present were officials from Council of Governors (COG).

    KOMEX Acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Fanuel Kidenda praised Kirinyaga’s efforts towards completion of the County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs) saying the agency will help in marketing the industrial parks so as to improve the export competitiveness of Kenyan commodities and also in stimulating domestic value addition and processing.

    “In our assessment so far, this is the seventh CAIP project we have visited across the country. Kirinyaga County is right at the top, it’s among the top two in terms of level of completion and we are pleased with that,” Kidenda said.

    He emphasized that KOMEX, through its trading platforms, would facilitate farmers’ access to national and export markets, providing a structured trading system that eliminates middlemen and stabilizes prices.

    According to Governor Anne Waiguru, 18 investors have been shortlisted to set up agro-processing and manufacturing factories at the park from a list of 54 who had shown interest.

    Waiguru said the very high-value investors will set up industries dealing in the processing and manufacturing of goods for export, especially agricultural, leather and textiles.

    Kidenda expressed optimism that the industrial park would be completed by June this year, in line with the national government’s timelines.

    “We aligned on key priority value chains, including rice, coffee, tomatoes, and other strategic crops, to ensure that the industrial park benefits farmers and traders. The next step is to create sustainable market linkages that will directly connect Kirinyaga’s produce to both national buyers and international exporters,” he said.

    Kidenda also assured that government agencies would address policy challenges affecting investors, traders, and cooperative societies, further unlocking the county’s economic potential.

    On her part, Lucy Komen, CEO of the Warehouse Receipt System Council (WRSC), noted that the Sagana aggregation and industrial park would be instrumental in bridging the gap between farmers’ produce and industrial processing opportunities.

    She said WRS will help farmers and investors in stabilizing agricultural markets, improving post-harvest management.

    “Most farmers are already producing and the CAIPs are quite advanced,” she stated. “Our focus now is on how to integrate these farmers into the system and ensure they reap maximum benefits.”

    Komen acknowledged Kirinyaga’s priority commodities, including rice, coffee, and tomatoes, and assured that a comprehensive framework would be developed to connect them with industrial processors and markets.

    “How are the farmers going to benefit? How will the investors and markets align with CAIPs?” she posed. “These are the key questions we are mapping out, and we will develop a strategy paper to be presented annually to ensure that Kirinyaga farmers can sell their produce with minimal barriers and maximum profits.”

    Deputy Governor David Githanda, who represented Governor Anne Waiguru during the visit emphasized on the government’s commitment to ensuring the industrial park is fully operationalized, with strong market linkages to benefit local farmers and investors.

    “We are here today because we have a technical team from the Office of the Deputy President and the Department of Trade, who are keen on expediting the CAIPs program,” he said. “They are assessing counties that have made significant progress and identifying ways to support them, especially in market linkages.”

    Githanda said that the Sagana CAIP is at 70pc completion level, making it one of the most advanced in the country. He assured residents that government agencies were ready to assist in areas such as marketing, branding, and establishing direct connections between farmers and buyers, both locally and internationally.

    “The various government agencies represented here will play a critical role in ensuring that the market for value-added products is guaranteed, not just locally, but also internationally,” he added.

    Githanda reiterated that the Sagana Industrial Park would be a game-changer for Kirinyaga, unlocking new economic opportunities and positioning the county as a hub for agricultural value addition.

    “These agencies will ensure that Kirinyaga farmers have direct access to structured markets, allowing them to sell their produce at competitive prices. They are also ensuring that there will be no shortage of raw materials, creating a stable supply chain for industries within the park,” the Deputy Governor added.

    “With the support from national agencies, we are confident that the Sagana Industrial Park will be fully operational soon, creating jobs, transforming livelihoods, and placing Kirinyaga produce on both national and international markets,” he affirmed.

    The visit was part of a nationwide technical assessment running from March 10 to March 21, 2025, targeting counties that have made significant progress in implementing CAIPs.