Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisley Rotich has announced that the collapsed Fluorspar Mining in Kerio Valley is headed for revival.
The governor attributed the good news to the office of the efforts by the government through the Cabinet Secretary of Mining Hassan Joho and Principal Secretary Harry Kimtai.
According to the governor’s announcement, President Dr. William Samoei Ruto will officially hand over the mining license to Sofax company Ltd, the new Investor on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at Simotwo High school, in Keiyo South, Elgeyo Marakwet County.
“This has been the only remaining stage towards full revival of the once vibrant Fluorspar mining.This will be a game changer to our youth,” said Governor Rotich.
“Finally the taskforce that we set up in 2022 has delivered,” he added.
Efforts to revive the Kenya Fluorspar has been ongoing for several years now.
When was Kenya Fluorspar established?
The Kenya Fluorspar Company was established in 1971 and focused on fluorspar extraction in Kimwarer, Elgeyo-Marakwet County.
It was a significant foreign exchange earner for the country before ceasing operations in 2016 due to a slump in global fluorspar prices and high operational costs.
The closure of the original Kenya Fluorspar Company resulted in job losses and affected local businesses in surrounding areas.
In 2024, a new company, Sofax Fluorspar Kenya Ltd, signed a contract with the Kenyan government to revive fluorspar mining in the Kerio Valley, aiming to utilize open pit mining methods and modernize the processing plant.
The revival of fluorspar mining by Sofax is expected to bring economic benefits to the region through job creation, infrastructure development, and increased revenue for the local community through a Community Development Agreement.
