Wajir Industrial Park Construction Enters Final Stages to Boost Livestock Value Chain

Construction works at the Wajir County Aggregation and Industrial Park (CAIP) have entered the final stages. The facility is expected to modernise the local livestock economy by establishing dedicated processing infrastructure within the region.

Launched in 2023, the project is structured as a joint initiative between the national government and the Wajir County government. Both levels of government are split equally on funding for the development, which is positioned along key regional trade nodes.

The infrastructure deployment forms part of the broader national County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs) framework. The programme encompasses 34 participating counties, with Wajir falling under the second phase of the nationwide industrial roll-out.

According to Dr. Raymond Omollo, the Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration, the project represents a targeted investment to introduce industrial growth in historically marginalised regions. The state department plays a coordination role to secure the construction environment.

Architectural plans for the site incorporate specialised cold storage and covered warehousing units. These facilities are designed to minimise post-harvest losses and retain product quality, which has previously limited the returns of local pastoralists.

The facility aims to transition the local economy away from the traditional sale of live animals. Civil works focus on building infrastructure for the internal processing of meat, leather, and dairy products.

By creating local aggregation centres, the facility allows herders to pool and grade dryland crops and livestock. This setup is intended to facilitate direct market sales, minimizing the long-standing exploitation by intermediaries.

The physical site includes ready-to-use industrial sheds built specifically for private investors, micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs). A dedicated utilities network is being installed to guarantee independent water supply and cooling systems.

The national industrial park infrastructure drive aligns with the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA). President William Ruto has previously stated that the scheme is designed to shift the country from a consumption-based framework to a production economy.

Ten out of the initial 18 industrial parks under the first phase of the national programme are reported complete. These facilities are currently open for investor occupation.

The completion of the Wajir facility is projected to generate thousands of employment opportunities. These jobs will span processing, logistics, and secondary support services across the county.