Murang’a: The national government plans to establish a pharmaceutical manufacturing plant in Murang’a county, marking the first of its kind in the country. This development will take place on a 500-acre piece of land, part of the 1300 acres ceded by Delmonte Kenya to the Murang’a County government. The initiative aims to reduce the cost of importing pharmaceutical commodities, which currently costs the country up to Sh150 billion annually.
According to Kenya News Agency, President William Ruto, speaking at the Inaugural Murang’a County Investment Conference in Murang’a, announced that Murang’a special Economic Zone has been identified as the country’s pharmaceuticals manufacturing hub. The Ministry of Health is involved in providing expertise to ensure that pharmaceutical commodities, worth Sh150 billion, currently being imported, will be manufactured domestically.
The president commended the Murang’a county government for its efforts to transform the county into an industrial hub. He noted that the investment conference aligns with the country’s strategy to integrate county-level investment promotion into its broader foreign engagement strategy. Highlighting the potential at the grassroots level, he emphasized the need to develop competitive value chains and move beyond primary production.
President Ruto pointed out that a significant milestone in these efforts is the signing of the EU-Kenya Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), which offers duty-free, quota-free access to the European Union for exporters. This agreement presents significant opportunities for counties like Murang’a in areas such as agro-processing, manufacturing, and value chain addition.
He encouraged business people and farmers from agriculture-rich regions to leverage these negotiations to expand the market for their goods and services. The president stressed the importance of robust collaboration between the County and national governments to strengthen partnerships for development through harmonized regulations and coordinated investment promotion efforts.
The president urged county governments to create a conducive business environment by streamlining regulations, improving infrastructure, ensuring investor-friendly policies, fostering innovation, and lowering the cost of doing business. Public-private partnerships, efficient service delivery, and security were highlighted as key enablers of economic growth at the grassroots level.
Additionally, President Ruto revealed plans to commission the first phase of affordable housing units in the county in August. This housing project aims to reduce land fragmentation while supporting agricultural productivity to build a food-secure nation. He reaffirmed the national government’s commitment to infrastructure development, emphasizing the importance of improved roads, power supply, and connectivity for attracting investment and driving economic growth.
The investment conference attracted hundreds of investors and delegates to explore key investment opportunities, including Murang’a Industrial Park, which will feature an Export Processing Zone (EPZ) on 500 acres and a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) on 800 acres. Other areas for investment include the County Aggregation and Industrial Park (CAIP), the Gikono Landfill, the Murang’a County Creameries Cooperative Union (MCCU), Small and Medium Enterprises Parks (SMEs), Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga Cultural site, and the Mariira Farm Kenyatta Agricultural Training Centre.