This archive report was first published on 7 January 2020.
January 7, 2020, marked a significant downturn in Kenya's cement exports to East Africa, with a 67.9 percent slump in the first nine months of 2019.
The decline was largely attributed to increased production capacity in the region, coupled with a general economic slowdown.
According to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), Kenyan cement makers sold 41,349 metric tonnes, raking in Sh475.2 million in the first three quarters of 2019, to Uganda, Rwanda, Tanzania, South Sudan, and DRC Congo.
This is a significant drop from 128,961 tonnes sold in 2018, worth Sh1.3 billion during the same period.
The collapse of ARM Cement, due to massive debts, further hurt sales, as the company halted production at its Kenyan plant.
The entry of Dangote Cement into DRC and Bamburi Cement Group's investment in Uganda at Hima and Tororo further increased competition in the region.
The ongoing 700,000 metric tonne a year cement plant by Prime Cement in Musanze District, Rwanda, is expected to further impact exports once completed.
