President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday reopened the Webuye Pan Paper Mills as he began his two-day tour of Western Region.
This will be great news to the area residents who solely relied on the factory that has been under receivership 10 years now.
The company will be managed by the Rai Group of Companies after being bought at a Sh900 million sale and purchase deal with the receiver managers.
“Pan Paper Mills produced their first paper in 10 years a few days ago. The reopening will bring hundreds of jobs back to Webuye Town,” said Mr Kenyatta through a speech read by State House spokesman Manoah Esipisu.
He added that his government was committed to serving all Kenyans without discrimination.
“My government is committed to ensuring land is distributed equitably throughout our country,” he said.
The president is also scheduled to launch the Kakamega-Navakholo-Musikoma and Ibokolo-Idangalasia-Malaa roads before he launches a water project in Mumias.
The development projects could however be seen as a way of appeasing the arguably opposition Western region electorate ahead of the 2017 general elections.