Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho
By Peace Muthoka
NAIROBI, Kenya, September 8, 2026 — Mining Cabinet Secretary Hassan Ali Joho has announced the formation of a high-level technical committee to address outstanding compliance issues involving Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited following the suspension of operations at the company.
Joho said the decision followed a meeting with executives of Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited at his office on Tuesday, where they held discussions on the compliance concerns raised by the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs.
“To facilitate a comprehensive and timely resolution of the outstanding matters, we agreed to establish a high-level technical committee,” Joho said in a statement.
The committee will be led by the Principal Secretary for Mining on behalf of the Ministry and the Chief Executive Officer of Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited on behalf of the company.
According to Joho, the committee will undertake a detailed technical review of the outstanding and unresolved compliance matters before preparing and submitting a report to his office for consideration and further direction.
The review will focus on five key areas, 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.
The move comes after the suspension of operations at Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited, with the Ministry seeking to resolve the compliance concerns through engagement with the company.
Joho said the government remains committed to working constructively with investors while ensuring that companies operating in the country comply with Kenya’s 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,” he said.
He added that the government’s objective was not only to resolve the outstanding compliance matters but also to establish a sustainable framework for responsible mining, value addition and community development.
The framework, he said, should also promote mutually beneficial partnerships between investors, communities and government.
The formation of the technical committee is expected to provide a platform for the Ministry and Tata Chemicals Magadi Limited to undertake a detailed review of the outstanding issues and identify a way forward.
Joho said the government would continue to engage investors while protecting the interests of Kenyan communities and ensuring that mining contributes to local development and value addition.
