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Tata Chemical compounds Magadi is embroiled in a fierce battle with the county authorities of Kajiado over unpaid land charges and licenses amounting to Ksh10 billion.
In accordance with the county’s ministry of finance, Tata Chemical compounds has defaulted on fee of land charges courting from 2016 and has declined to decide to any fee plan regardless of quite a few makes an attempt to interact them.
The county management additional says the corporate has been working illegally for the final two years after it declined to pay for stipulated operational licenses.
Finance CEC Alais Kisota, who led the forceful closure of the Kajiado depot, says the county will paralyze all operations of the producer to make sure it complies with income fee like different traders.
“We’ve carried out our greatest in making an attempt to resolve the matter with Tata Chemical compounds. We’ve carried out what we’re speculated to do because the county however the firm has refused to conform. Lack of cooperation and dedication from the Soda Ash firm has compelled us to take drastic measures, we are going to shut all operations involving the corporate. The corporate has been working illegally for the final two years,’’ Kisota stated.
The Soda Ash producer has a key railway line largely utilized to ferry the trona to the port of Mombasa earlier than it’s exported to varied markets for processing.
The railway line can also be a key mode of transport for Magadi residents.
Kisota says county dangerous money owed stand at Ksh11.9 billion with Tata Chemical compounds being the key defaulter.
“We’re not against traders as a result of they’re key in our growth and employment alternatives. We simply ask traders to adjust to set rules and pay income as required. We even have room to barter with traders when it comes to paying income as a result of we perceive financial downtimes and the monetary disaster going through companies at present. Some potential traders haven’t paid their excellent money owed however have dedicated to a fee plan and clearly demonstrated willingness to pay.
“Our motion to halt operations within the multinational firm is just not ill-motivated as a result of we additionally see and acknowledge that it’s benefiting Kenyans throughout the nation in issues of employment,’’ Kisota said.
The Soda Ash producer sits on a 179,374-acre piece of land in Magadi Kajiado West with an acre charged at an annual land price of Ksh14,000.
Tata Chemical compounds had sought the land use renewal on March 7, 2022, after its 99-year lease expired however the county in its reply in November of the identical yr declined the request however the producer continued with its operation.
The corporate is Africa’s largest Soda Ash producer and main exporter using the pure rising trona.
The multinational firm employs lots of of employees and controls the financial system of the distant villages of Kajiado West Sub-county.
Efforts to get a remark from Tata Chemical compounds have been futile.
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