Workers at an EPZ establishment. [Photo/ monitor.co.ug]
The government has identified Voi as the next location for establishing an export processing zone (EPZ).
The Export Processing Zone Authority has already issued a public notice seeking to buy land for EPZ enterprises keen on establishing operation zones near the port of Mombasa.“The required land should be in parcels covering at least 200 acres and located no more than 20 kilometres from Voi town on the Mombasa-Nairobi highway or Voi-Mwatate Road and no more than 10 kilometres from a market centre or populated area,” the notice reads in part.It also said the land parcel should be within a five-kilometre radius of Mzima springs water pipeline and that it should be in an area served by the national power grid.Besides, it said the land should not have any hindrances or charges title.The notice came following multiple complaints by a section of EPZ enterprises that acquiring land for expansion was hard because of high cost.The enterprises, mainly managing apparel and clothe businesses, blamed low production on the high cost of facility establishment and called on the government to intervene, Business Daily reported on Monday.The law has been reviewed to permit privately-owned entities to establish EPZs.The law review prompted some conglomerates to move into Tatu City and Tilisi Light Industries, both in Kiambu County.Some licensed EPZs are presently building shop in Mombasa, Nairobi, Nakuru and Uasin Gishu Counties.They mainly target at exporting their products to the rest of Africa with 20 per cent of what they produce sold locally.