Rai Group responds to claims of shutting down Kenyan operations

By Peter Ochieng

The management of Rai Group of Companies on Monday responded to claims of shutting down Kenyan operations.

In a statement, the management flagged the allegations making rounds on social media as fake, and to say the least, regrettable. 

"The management at Rai Group of Companies wishes to inform all its business partners, stakeholders, including farmers, employees, the media, and indeed the general public that the information circulating on social media platforms, to the effect that Rai Group is closing down all its operations and is relocating to another country, is, to say the least, regrettable misinformation bordering on unhelpful propaganda coming at this time of severe economic challenges.”

"The Rai Group is cognisant of its contribution to the economic growth of Kenyan economy through job creation, and more importantly, through the production of high-quality goods and provision of services that circulate and its consumed both locally and internationally," the statement adds.

The companies are run by billionaire businessman Jaswant Singh Rai. Claims of shutting down operations were shared on Twitter by one Edgar Wabwire who claimed that Rai summoned all managers and agreed to shut down operations.

“Billionaire and Businessman Jaswant Singh Rai has summoned all managers managed his companies, and agreed to close the companies soon and move elsewhere outside Kenya,” he alleged.

The companies include Menengai Oil Refineries Ltd, Rai Cement, Kabras Sugar Company Olepito Sugar Unit, Webuye Pan Paper, Naitiri Sugar Company, Raiply Eldoret, Sukari Industries and Rai Ceramics.

Others are TimSales, Tulip Properties, Rai Expo Park and Menengai Orchards. Rai Group management say they will continue to adhere to high standards of delivery, in strict compliance with regulatory, legal and social expectations from its partners.

The claims of shut down come few weeks after president William Ruto in a public outburst seemingly direted at Rai, warned those he termed as sugar cartles hampering grown of the sector through endless court cases.