Murang’a breaks ground on 1,300-acre industrial park as six investors begin construction

Six companies have officially begun building factories at the Murang’a Industrial Park, located on the former Del Monte Kenya Limited land, months after the county government held its first investment conference to attract industrialists.

The groundbreaking ceremony was presided over by Investment Principal Secretary Abubakar Hassan.

During the Murang’a Investment Conference held on 13th–14th June 2025, 48 investors applied to invest in the industrial park.

Following a rigorous and transparent vetting process, 27 investors were approved and are at various stages of onboarding.

On Tuesday, six of the approved investors commenced construction during the groundbreaking ceremony.

Murang’a Governor Irungu Kang'ata said the investment conference has so far secured over Ksh.57 million in revenue for the county and millions more in bank guarantees, which will be channelled towards development programmes.

“We want Murang’a to be the new China, where industries set up and create jobs. Agro-processing industries will create backward linkages to farmers and spur the economy,” said Dr Kang’ata.

PS Hassan noted that the ministry is positioning Murang’a as a manufacturing hub for pharmaceuticals, leveraging the trade deals Kenya is negotiating globally.

“As previously stated, Kenya will sign a duty-free deal with China later this week. Murang’a is the fourth industrial park, and we will roll out others soon. A Chinese investor will soon set up a factory here,” said the PS.

The industrial park incorporates both a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) and an Export Processing Zone (EPZ). The government is also constructing six godowns within the park to support investors.

Among the six investors who broke ground is Ashland Traders Limited, whose Managing Director, Samuel Kimani Njoroge, said the company is developing a factory that will employ more than 200 people to manufacture paving and building blocks.

“We have broken ground today and expect to attract even more industries,” said Mr. Njoroge.

Other investors commencing construction include KenAgro, which is setting up a factory to process certified hybrid seeds and manufacture feed additives. Top Pork and KTDA are also establishing processing factories at the site.

The groundbreaking marks the transition from planning to implementation, following a highly successful investor mobilisation process.

The onboarded investors span agro-processing, healthcare, commercial enterprises and diverse manufacturing sectors, positioning Murang’a as a competitive industrial hub.

The projects are expected to generate significant employment, stimulate local value chains and expand the county’s revenue base.

The Murang’a Industrial Park sits on approximately 1,300 acres and is strategically structured to accommodate both export-oriented and domestic market enterprises: 500 acres have been designated as an Export Processing Zone (EPZ).

The remaining acreage has been approved as a Special Economic Zone (SEZ), allowing investors to operate within either a customs-controlled or non-customs framework.

This integrated EPZ-SEZ model enhances Murang’a’s attractiveness by offering fiscal incentives, regulatory efficiency and modern infrastructure within a unified industrial ecosystem.

County officials reiterated that the Industrial Park is central to Murang’a’s long-term economic transformation strategy, aimed at value addition, job creation, technology transfer and positioning the county as a premier investment destination in Kenya and the region.

Tuesday’s groundbreaking reflects strong investor confidence and affirms Murang’a’s commitment to creating an enabling environment for sustainable industrial growth.