Mung’aro demands county’s shareholding rights in salt firms

Malindi, Monday June 26, 2023

KNA by Emmanuel Masha/Charity Umazi

Investors wishing to venture into salt manufacturing business in Kilifi County will have to allow the county government to have shareholding rights before being allowed to operate in the county.

Governor Gideon Mung’aro said the salt firms had in the past exploited county resources without adequately giving back to the community; and therefore, the county government should have shareholding rights for the benefit of the locals.

Speaking at the Kasarani grounds in Marereni are of Adu Ward, Kilifi County, during celebrations to mark 50 years of ActionAid International’s existence in Kenya, Mr Mung’aro said he would not watch as foreigners reap from county resources without benefiting the locals.

Salt firms whose land leases have expired and want the same renewed will be the first to be affected by Mung’aro’s new demand after the governor said he had refused to renew the tenancy agreements till the firms accept to partner with his administration.

“Some salt manufacturing companies have approached me to facilitate the renewal of the lease agreements but I have refused because I said anybody wishing to carry out salt business in this county will have to work with the county government as partners so that the people of Kilifi can also profit from their ventures,” he said.

“Henceforth, anybody doing salt business in the county and wants their leases to be renewed must agree to have one company with the county government in which the people of Kilifi will be shareholders,” he added.

He said that is what the county government is doing in Kayafungo ward where 3,000 acres of land have been set aside for the setting up of an industrial park in which the county government of Kilifi will partner with a foreign company.

“We are doing this so that our land and potential is not exploited by investors without benefiting our people,” the governor said during the fete that was attended by ActionAid International leaders from various parts of the world, including ActionAid International Board Chairperson Helen Grace and ActionAid Kenya chairman Sam Muga.

He at the same time announced that his administration would streamline operations in the salt firms, where locals have been complaining of unfair treatment including displacement from what they call their ancestral land, poor working conditions and the blocking of access roads to the sea.

“I will meet with all salt firm owners next week to chart a way forward but in the meantime, they must open all access roads to the sea,” Mr Mung’aro said.

The governor lauded ActionAid International, Kenya Chapter for championing the rights of women and the youth and pledged to support local organizations working with the nongovernmental organisation at the grassroots.

He said his administration would grant the Magarini Sauti ya Wanawake Community-Based Organization to set up a rescue centre for women and girls rescued from sexual gender-based violence following a request by the organization’s chairperson Mercelline Kadii.

Ms.Kadii had told the meeting that many women rescued from SGBV were living in the homes of Sauti ya Wanawake Magarini members as there was no rescue centre for them to get psycho-social support and counselling.

Governor Mung’aro at the same time said his administration had commenced the construction of a Sh45 million rescue centre for girls who fall victims of SGBV and teenage pregnancies.

The Kilifi County Executive Committee Member for Gender, Youth, Sports, Culture and Social Services, Dr. Ruth Dama Masha, said SGBV prevalence in the county had reduced from 33 percent in 2019 to 13 percent this year due to concerted efforts by various stakeholders.

ActionAid International leaders present pledged to work with the county government and other partners in order to achieve a society devoid of social ills such as sexual harassment against women and girls.

ActionAid Kenya Chairman Sam Muga lauded the county government and other partners and expressed the organisation’s commitment to walking with them in the fight against various challenges facing the country and the world in general.

“ActionAid Kenya has a unique contest of operation in Kenya. These are difficult times with global inflation and it is worsened by the current humanitarian crisis through drought that has affected our country and has impacted our programmes.

“As we commit to support the communities, we will still ask for enhance resourcing of operations, increased fundraising and the ability to tackle the duo issues of climate change and economic justice,” he said.

ActionAid International Board Chairperson Helen Grace lauded the work done by ActionAid Kenya in Kenya and particularly in Kilifi where the organisation has been working with government to influence policies, especially in land, water and healthcare among others.

Courtesy ; K. N. A