Work on West Pokot facility set to begin

Cemtech Ltd, a subsidiary of India’s Sanghi Group, has moved construction machinery to begin work on its proposed facility in West Pokot, Kenya, by the end of this month.

"We start construction in January now that we have been granted all the required 65 licences and consents," said Rajesh Rawal, Cemtech CEO. "We are deploying a plant that will make cement at the least possible cost and allows us to price our product competitively."

The receipt of the approvals means that phase one of the long-delayed KES12bn (US$117.9m) project can begin. The first phase of construction will include setting up roads to link the factory to the mines and building houses for staff and workers.

Currently, the project is expected to be completed within 18-20 months with cement production expected to commence in two years. Cemtech has contracted China’s CITIC Construction to erect the plant.