Kenyan Businessman Narendra Raval's 85 Million Plant Hits Snag Over Lease Conflict

Ravals 84.7M iron plant faces delays after Taita Taveta County disowns the land lease granted for the Voi-based project.

Devki lease signed by disputed group, as rival factions within Kishushe Ranching Society battle over leadership and land rights.

County claims no consultation occurred, raising legal concerns and stalling Devkis mining start scheduled for December 2024.

Less than nine months after breaking ground on an ambitious Ksh11 billion 85 million iron ore pelletization plant in Voi, Taita Taveta County, Kenyan businessman and industrialist Narendra Raval is now entangled in a growing dispute over the land at the center of the project.

Raval, one of Kenyas most prominent industrialists and the founder of Devki Group, secured a 45-year lease for 14,500 acres from a faction of the Kishushe Ranching Cooperative Society. But the deal is now under scrutiny.

This week, the Taita Taveta County Government said it does not recognize the lease. Christine Zighe, the County Executive for Lands and Mining, stated the county was never consulted. We have not seen the lease documents, and if they exist, we do not recognize them, she said.

Danson Mzenge, the County Executive for Agriculture and Cooperatives, went further, claiming the lease was granted by individuals with no legal standing. The officials who gave out the lease are imposters, he told reporters. The ranch is in the middle of leadership wrangles, and none of the groups involved has the authority to make such decisions.

Kishushe Ranch, which spans more than 60,000 acres, has been locked in internal battles for years. According to county officials, three rival factions claim to be in charge. One, led by Chombo Shete, reportedly represents about 700 shareholders but is said to have overstayed its leadership term. Another, headed by Matilda Mwangondi, filled the leadership vacuum. The third, led by Danson Kidai Mwandoto and backed by about 330 members, is the group that signed the lease with Devki.