Ngaaie, Kitui County – October 27, 2026
President William Ruto on Tuesday presided over the groundbreaking ceremony for a major new clinker and cement plant by the Devki Group’s National Cement Company in Ngaaie, Mwingi North, Kitui County. The Sh70 billion investment, described as Kitui’s first cement manufacturing facility and one of the county’s largest private projects, is expected to create thousands of jobs and harness local limestone deposits.Citizen
Devki Group Executive Chairman Narendra Raval, speaking at the event, reflected on the long path to the project. “We started dreaming of putting up this plant about 10 years ago,” he said, noting that earlier attempts by other companies had targeted the area because of its limestone resources. He emphasized the project’s role in industrial development, stating that the company is currently employing 4,000 Kenyans on the site, with construction having begun in September and operations targeted for around mid-2027.Ynews
Raval, who arrived in Kenya from India in the early 1980s and built Devki into a major East African industrial group spanning steel, cement (including brands such as Simba Cement and National Cement), and related products, underscored his approach to business. “I am a businessman and I only fear God,” he declared. He also publicly praised Wiper Patriotic Front leader Kalonzo Musyoka, a former Vice President, saying, “Kalonzo Musyoka is a very good friend of mine and we pray that he will be in the government.” Raval described Musyoka as a close family friend and expressed hope that opposition leaders would support development initiatives that create opportunities for young people.Tuko
The remarks come against a backdrop of active political realignment ahead of the 2027 General Election. President Ruto has been touring the Ukambani region, including Kitui, and has publicly engaged with themes involving Musyoka while promoting development projects. Raval and Musyoka have a documented long-standing friendship; Raval has previously recounted facilitating discussions that contributed to Musyoka’s appointment as Vice President under Mwai Kibaki in 2008.Kenyans
President Ruto highlighted the plant’s economic significance, noting that local clinker production would reduce import reliance, retain more value in the Kenyan economy, build technical skills, and generate wealth. The facility will process locally available materials and forms part of Devki’s broader expansion, which Raval said includes roughly Sh220 billion invested across 11 factories in recent years, with further projects planned.Citizen
The plant is located near substantial limestone deposits. While earlier estimates varied, current figures put the investment at Sh70 billion (approximately $539 million). It aligns with Kenya’s push for greater local manufacturing capacity in building materials, following other Devki projects such as a clinker plant in West Pokot. Billionaires
Local leaders and residents have welcomed the investment for its job-creation potential in a region seeking to convert mineral resources into industry, though some community concerns about environmental impacts have been noted in earlier reporting. Raval has framed such projects as essential for addressing youth unemployment through industrialization.
The ceremony marks a significant milestone for Kitui and Devki’s growth strategy, while Raval’s comments on friendship and politics have drawn attention amid ongoing national political dynamics.