Steel tycoon Raval gets State backing in cement tax fight

A proposal by the Treasury to impose a 10 percent levy on imported clinker — a material that contains 60 to 70 percent inputs for cement production — has awakened a vicious battle between billionaire cement maker Narendra Raval and smaller industry players.

Mr Raval, who is said to have close ties with President William Ruto’s administration, owns National Cement and has for long been pushing for enhanced duty on clinker as he eyes some Sh8.3 billion that factories without grinders pay to import the crucial raw material.