Billionaire industrialist Narendra Raval is seeking to mine iron ore from 7,600 acre Taita Taveta land. The businessman has applied for a license for the venture. This was revealed by the Cabinet Secretary for Mining Ali Hassan Joho through a gazette notice.
In the gazette notice, CS Joho asked those who might be opposed to the granting of the prospecting license on the land to Raval to present their objections within 20 days.
“Pursuant to section 34 of the Mining Act, the Cabinet Secretary for Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs notifies receipt of an application for a prospecting license from Devki Steel Mills,” CS Joho said in the notice.
“Any objection by an person or community against the grant of the prospecting license may be submitted to the Cabinet Secretary within 20 days from the date of this notice [which was Wednesday, September 10, 2025].”
Raval’s Devki has proposed to prospect on an area stretching 30.789 square kilometres which is equivalent to about 7,608 acres. Iron ore is the raw material that is used to make pig iron, which is one of the primary raw materials that are used to make steel. Up to 98 percent of the mined iron ore is used to make steel.
In December 2024, Devki launched the development of its Sh11 billion iron ore plant in Manga, Voi, in Taita Taveta County. However, the development and prospecting of the iron ore has faced challenges, starting with the Taita Taveta County which claims it was not consulted in the allocation of the 14,500 acre land through a 45-year lease by the Kishushe Ranching Cooperative Society.
Over the past few years, Raval has been expanding his investments in the coast region. In November 2022, he opened a multi-billion steel mill factory in Kwale County. The factory has the capacity to produce half a million tonnes of steel annually.
READ MORE: KRA demands billions in taxes from Narendra Raval years after exemption
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