President William Ruto is to return to Mt Kenya in June to officially open the Murang’a Investment Conference despite murmurs in the vote-rich region over his fall-out with former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.

Governor Irung’u Kang’ata said his county was ready to host the Head of State at the investment forum at Thika Greens Golf Resort on June 13 and June 14.

“His Excellency the President will be the chief guest as we seek to make Murang’a an industrial hub,” Kang’ata said during an interview at the Mediamax office at DSM Place in Nairobi on Thursday.

Murang’a, he said, was offering land for investors to lease including the 1300 acres hived from Delmonte near Thika town, another piece at Kabati and a landfill for waste recycling near Kabati.

Cultural site

The county also boasts of a 93-acre agricultural land in Kigumo and a cultural site—Mukurwe wa Nyagathanga “for people who want to come for eco-tourism.” The site is considered by the Agikuyu to be their ancestral origin.

“Our focus is on agro-processing, manufacturing, medical production, pharmaceuticals, Export Processing Zone and Special Economic Zone,” Kang’ata said.

The county further has a dairy factory and is looking for a strategic investor. A team from the county, is in the US for two investment conferences to promote the county as an industrial hub.

Led by the County Assembly Speaker Johnson Mukuha and Deputy Governor Stephen Munania, the delegation marketed Murang’a in Seattle and Boston as the best investment destination.

Mukuha and Munania focused on investment opportunities available in the county, particularly in manufacturing, healthcare, technology, recreation and sports.

Kang’ata said his team will head to China on June 1 for another investment forum due to huge interests received from the Asian nation to venture in Murang’a.

Themed ‘Unlocking Murang’a as an Industrial Hub,’ the financing meeting at Thika Greens will also feature trade fair and exhibitions

“The Murang’a Investment Conference 2025 creates a platform that brings together investors, business people, government representatives and industry leaders to unlock various opportunities, particularly the manufacturing sector within Murang’a county,” Kang’ata said.

Kang’ata said industries in agro-processing sector are encouraged to attend and consider investing.

The US conferences and the investment forum in Murang’a, he said, will showcase viable investment opportunities and attract private capital from local and international entities to venture in various opportunities and provide a networking platform for investors and policy makers.

The events are further expected to help build long-term partnerships that create jobs and accelerate Murang’a growth.

Kang’ata was hopeful the forums will help in ‘onboarding’ local, foreign and diaspora investors and open the devolved unit as an investment destination.

“The events will strengthen public private partnerships,” Kang’ata said, adding that Murang’a’s first-ever Investment Conference will mark a major step towards transforming the region into an economic powerhouse.

 At the heart of the investment agenda is the expansive Murang’a Industrial Park, which offers a diverse mix of investment-ready zones, most of which are part of a designated Special Economic Zone (SEZ).

This development is expected to be a game-changer for the county’s economic landscape.

Political realignment

The county will also promote its County Aggregation initiative—a programme designed to streamline value addition and market access for farmers through modern aggregation and logistics centres.

The impeachment of Gachagua has triggered political re-alignment in Mt Kenya region, with political observers indicating the former DP could eat into Ruto’s support in the area.

Gachagua has since unveiled his party, DCP and vowed to give Ruto and his Kenya Kwanza administration a run for its money in the 2027 ballot.

Mt Kenya residents voted for Ruto almost to a man in 2022 elections.

Gachagua’s removal from office has also reignited Jubilee Party fortunes in Mt Kenya region with its leaders fronting former Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i as its torchbearer in next polls.