Kenya forms technical committee to resolve ongoing Tata Chemicals Magadi stalemate

NAIROBI, Kenya – The Kenyan government and Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited have initiated talks on compliance concerns.

Mining Cabinet Secretary (CS) Ali Hassan Joho revealed that the government and the company will form a high-level technical committee to look into the matter, following the suspension of the company’s operations.

In a public statement released on Tuesday, September 8, CS Joho said the committee will be chaired by Mining Principal Secretary (PS) Harry Kimtai and Tata Chemicals Magadi CEO Swaminathan Nagarajan.

“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,” read the statement in part.

Joho said the committee will look into key unresolved matters, including mineral beneficiation and in-country value addition, outstanding community benefits and royalty obligations, unresolved land matters, opening up the area for multiple mineral extraction and outstanding matters with the Kajiado County Government.