On November 21, 2018, Meru Governor Kiraitu Murungi said his county would provide free land and help investors secure national government licences as he pushed to bring Chinese capital into agribusiness and hospitality.
Murungi said the county was ready to back projects in macadamia processing and packaging, while also opening the door for hotel development inside Meru National Park. He made the remarks during a meeting with a delegation from China’s Anhui Province led by Deputy Governor Zhou Xi’an.
He said Meru wanted investors who could add value to farm produce and connect local growers to the Chinese market. “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,” he said.
The governor argued that Meru’s strength in macadamia production made the partnership attractive, especially because China offers a large market for the crop. He also said the county lacked enough hotel space around Meru National Park, which he described as a unique tourist attraction.
“Meru National Park is a unique tourist attraction but we lack hotel space. We are looking for a Chinese investors to put up a hotel and attract Chinese tourists to Meru.”
Zhou said his government was interested in working 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 outcomes of Kenya-China agreements linked to the China International Imports Exhibition.
The two countries had recently signed a memorandum of understanding on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS), a move that gave Kenya’s fresh produce access to the Chinese market. Zhou said China had opened its domestic market to foreign investment and welcomed Meru’s focus on both local development and outside capital.
Murungi also pointed to an earlier deal signed in August with Huangshan Municipality in Anhui to strengthen trade relations. A delegation from Huangshan later toured the park to look for hospitality investment opportunities.
According to the Meru County Integrated Development Plan for 2018-2022, the county needed Sh300 million to build a 300-bed star-rated Eco Lodge hotel in the park. Meru was also planning to spend about Sh570 million on mango, avocado, rice, macadamia and potato processing plants in partnership with investors.
The county’s engagement with China began in 2017, when former Governor Peter Munya signed a memorandum with the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region (NHAR) to start sister-city partnerships. That delegation was led by Mr Cai Guoying, vice-chairman of the Ningxia committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC).
The agreement covered cooperation in agriculture, culture, trade and education.
