Monday, October 12, 2015

Kenya: Ol Karia Geothermal Special Economic Zone to Open Early Next Year

Kenya to Roll Out Special Trade Zones in First Quarter of 2016 (geeskaafrika.com)

Kenya plans to roll out Special Economic Zones (SEZs) which will enjoy lower taxes to boost the country’s investment profile.

The designated trading zones will be established in the first quarter of 2016, the Industrialisation ministry has said. They are expected to help investors cut down on key cost drivers such as transport, with the hope that surplus funds would go towards value addition. The focus of the new policy on SEZs is that goods be produced closer to raw material sources and investors handed preferential terms on matters such as licensing.

The special economic zones law provides incentives for industries to operate in designated zones including Naivasha, near the Ol Karia geothermal power plants. Manufacturers in the SEZs in Naivasha will, for instance, be offered discounts on power bills because of lower transmission costs from the power plants to the industrial hubs.

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