Following President William Ruto’s directive on Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited, Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Joho has announced a high-level technical review to address outstanding compliance issues surrounding the company’s operations.
Joho said the decision followed a meeting with Tata Chemicals Magadi executives on Tuesday, September 8, 2026, where the Ministry and the company discussed concerns that led to the suspension of operations.
The CS said the meeting was “fruitful” and resulted in an agreement to establish a high-level technical committee to examine the unresolved matters and recommend the way forward.
The committee will be jointly led by Mining Principal Secretary on behalf of the government and the Chief Executive Officer of Tata Chemicals Magadi on behalf of the company.
According to Joho, the committee will conduct a detailed technical review of the outstanding compliance concerns before preparing a report for his office.
“The committee will undertake a detailed technical review of the outstanding and unresolved compliance matters, prepare and submit a report to my office for consideration and further direction,” Joho said.
Among the key issues the committee will investigate is mineral beneficiation and in-country value addition, a matter that has featured prominently in the government’s push to ensure Kenya derives greater economic benefits from its mineral resources.
The committee will also examine outstanding community benefits and royalty obligations, as well as unresolved land-related matters affecting the Magadi operations.
Another major issue will be the government’s proposal to open up the area for multiple mineral extraction, potentially changing the long-standing arrangement surrounding mineral exploitation in the Magadi area.
The committee will further address outstanding matters between Tata Chemicals Magadi and the Kajiado County Government, according to Joho.
The development comes days after Ruto ordered Tata Chemicals to leave Kenya, arguing that the country needed to obtain greater value from its natural resources through local investment, manufacturing and job creation.
The President’s directive followed the government’s suspension of the company’s operations over several compliance concerns.
However, Joho’s latest statement signals that the government is pursuing a structured technical engagement with the company to resolve the outstanding issues.
The CS maintained that the government remains committed to working with investors while insisting that companies operating in Kenya must comply with national laws and regulations.
“As Government, we remain committed to constructive engagement with investors while firmly upholding Kenya's laws, regulations and the interests of its people,” Joho said.
He added that the government’s objective was to establish a sustainable framework promoting responsible mining, value addition, community development and mutually beneficial partnerships.
The committee’s findings are expected to guide the Ministry’s next steps on Tata Chemicals’ operations at Magadi.