HIGH COURT BLOCKS KAJIADO'S BID TO JOIN TATA CHEMICALS MAGADI LICENCE CASE

The High Court in Nairobi has rejected Kajiado County Government’s bid to join a legal challenge over the suspension of Tata Chemicals Magadi’s mining operations.

Justice William Musyoka ruled on September 25, 2026, that the county had not demonstrated a sufficiently direct and identifiable interest in the judicial review proceedings to qualify as an interested party. 

Tata Chemicals moved to court on July 30 after the Ministry of Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs suspended its operating licence on July 28 over alleged non-compliance issues.

Kajiado County subsequently filed an application on September 4 seeking to be admitted to the case and allowed to respond to Tata Chemicals’ application. The county argued that the company operates on trust land vested in the county and that it has separate disputes with the company over the validity of its lease extension, land rates and other matters. 

However, the court found that those issues were separate from the questions before it. Justice Musyoka said Tata Chemicals’ case concerns the legality, procedural fairness and lawfulness of the national government’s decision to suspend its mining operations, rather than the broader land and rates disputes between the company and the county.

The judge said allowing Kajiado County to join the proceedings could expand the case beyond the issues raised in Tata Chemicals’ original application. The county's application was therefore dismissed. 

The main case remains active, with judgment scheduled for October 23, 2026, while a mention is set for October 6. Tata Chemicals’ operations have remained suspended since July. 

Meanwhile, the national government and Tata Chemicals are holding discussions through a high-level committee examining issues including mineral beneficiation, community benefits, royalty payments and land disputes.