On November 21, 2018, Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi said his administration was ready to give Chinese investors free land and help them secure national government licences as part of a drive to attract capital into agribusiness and tourism.
Murungi made the remarks while hosting a delegation from China’s Anhui Province led by deputy governor Zhou Xi’an. He said the county wanted investors in macadamia processing, packaging and hotel development, including a proposed hotel in Meru National Park.
The governor said the county would work with investors to remove delays that often slow foreign projects. He added that Meru had both an educated labour force and land available for investment.
“Our company will support the Chinese investors in acquiring licences which slow down foreign investment. We will also provide free land and an educated labour force to support the investments,” Mr Murungi said.
Mr Xi’an said Anhui was interested in partnering with Meru in manufacturing, with the aim of creating jobs and supplying the Chinese market with high-quality goods. He said the province was building on the Kenya-China agreements reached through the China International Imports Exhibition.
He also pointed to the memorandum of understanding on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS), which opened Kenya’s fresh produce to the Chinese market.
“China has now opened its domestic market to foreign investment more than ever before. We can partner with Meru in providing high quality goods to the Chinese market. We are glad that Meru County is giving priority to local development as well as foreign investment,” Mr Xian said.
Murungi said Meru was keen to attract Chinese investors who would not only process agricultural produce but also tap the Chinese market. He noted that the county is a major macadamia producer and said the wider market in China could improve returns for farmers.
He also said Meru National Park had tourism potential but lacked enough hotel space. According to him, the county was looking for a Chinese investor to build a hotel and draw more Chinese tourists to Meru.
In August, Murungi signed a memorandum of understanding with Huangshan city in Anhui to strengthen trade ties with China. A delegation from Huangshan later toured Meru National Park to assess hospitality investment opportunities.
The Meru County Integrated Development Plan 2018-2022 says the county needs Sh300 million to build a 300-bed star-rated hotel and ecolodges in Meru National Park. The plan also puts at Sh570 million the cost of mango, avocado, rice, macadamia and potato processing plants to be developed with investors.
Meru’s engagement with China began in 2017, when former governor Peter Munya signed a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (NHAR) to start sister-city partnerships. The delegation from Ningxia was led by Cai Guoying, vice chairman of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), Ningxia committee.
Under that agreement, the two regions were to cooperate in agriculture, culture, trade and education.
