China’s Hand in Tata Chemicals’ Kenya Exit? Former Deputy President’s Bombshell Claim

In a candid sit‑down with CNN‑News18, former Kenyan Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua let rip a claim that’s already stirring debate across Nairobi and beyond. He suggested the recent suspension of Tata Chemicals’ Magadi operations isn’t simply a bureaucratic hiccup, but rather a calculated move to make room for Chinese investors hungry for the region’s untapped mineral wealth.

Gachagua, who now heads the Democracy for Citizens Party (DCP), painted a stark picture of the decision‑making process – or the lack thereof. “The Constitution says you must consult the public before you touch their lives,” he warned, adding that the President’s office apparently skipped that crucial step. The result, according to him, is a community suddenly cut off from water, schools, hospitals and even a local bank – services that Tata Chemicals had been providing for almost a century.

He didn’t stop at procedural grievances. The former deputy president went further, linking the shutdown to a budding scramble for lithium and other strategic minerals. “President Ruto and the mining minister are eyeing the lithium deposits down there,” Gachagua asserted, implying that pushing Tata Chemicals out is simply a stepping‑stone to claim those resources for themselves – and, possibly, for foreign backers.

When pressed about the role of China, Gachagua’s answer was almost a sigh of resignation: “To a great extent, yes.” He hinted that President William Ruto has cultivated business ties with Chinese partners and may be courting them to invest in the Magadi area. The suggestion, while explosive, fits a larger narrative many analysts have been tracking – Beijing’s growing appetite for African lithium as the global race for battery metals intensifies.

There’s also some name‑dropping of other big players. Gachagua mentioned rumours that Nigerian billionaire Aliko Dangote might be eyeing a partnership with Ruto, though he labeled those whispers as unverified. Whether it’s China, Dangote, or a blend of both, the underlying theme is clear: strategic minerals are becoming the new bargaining chip in Kenya’s political economy.

Beyond the geopolitics, Gachagua stressed the human cost. He estimated that over 100,000 residents are now without reliable water, medical care, or schooling – a disruption he called “totally unacceptable.” In response, the DCP plans to help locals mount a judicial review, urging Tata Chemicals to seek conservatory orders that would let the plant keep running while the legal tussle plays out.

Whether the claims hold water or are simply political rhetoric remains to be seen. What’s undeniable, however, is the ripple effect of the plant’s shutdown – a ripple that touches everything from local livelihoods to the broader debate about who really controls Kenya’s mineral riches.