Kenya Signs 21-Year Lease Deal with ARISE IIP to Revive Rivatex
PIC 1 – (l-r) George Olaka, CEO Arise IIP Kenya, Dr. Juma Mukhwana, Principal Secretary, State Department for Industry, Cleophas Lagat, Chairman, Rivatex East Africa SEZ Ltd., and Stanley Bett, Managing Director, Rivatex EA SEZ Ltd., during the onboarding of a Arise IIP as a strategic non-equity partner leasing Rivatex properties for a period of 21 years.rom left NOCK President Shadrack Muluki ,
Public–Private Partnership Aims to Modernize Textile Mill, Create 5,000 Jobs, and Strengthen Cotton Value Chain.
The government has signed a 21-year lease agreement with ARISE Integrated Industrial Platforms (ARISE IIP) for the management and operation of Rivatex East Africa Limited, marking a major milestone in efforts to revive Kenya’s textile industry.
Under the agreement, ARISE IIP will operate, maintain, and manage the Eldoret-based textile mill and its property. The partnership aims to modernize Rivatex’s operations, boost production capacity, and enhance Kenya’s competitiveness in the global textile market.
Speaking at the onboarding meeting in Eldoret, Principal Secretary, State Department for Industry, Juma Mukwana, said the collaboration represents a new chapter in the Rivatex story and a strong model for public–private partnership.
“This onboarding marks the beginning of a new chapter that builds upon the strong foundation laid by Rivatex over decades,” said Mukwana.
“Rivatex has long been a symbol of Kenya’s industrial spirit — a place where ideas, skills, enterprise, and hard work have come together to clothe our nation while strengthening the economy. Now, we welcome ARISE IIP as a strategic non-equity partner to take this legacy forward.”
Mukwana said the 21-year lease, which takes effect in September 2025, demonstrates how strategic partnerships between government and the private sector can drive investment, technology, and competitiveness.
“The Government recognizes that the private sector is the engine of industrial growth. ARISE IIP brings a track record of industrial development, efficiency, and global market access. These capacities will help modernize operations and open new opportunities across the textile value chain,” he added.
“Our role, as government, is to enable and support ensuring sound policies, reliable infrastructure, and a conducive business environment.”
ARISE IIP Kenya CEO George Olaka said the company will take full operational responsibility under the agreement, pledging to transform Rivatex into a competitive regional textile hub.
“Under this 21-year lease and management agreement, ARISE IIP will take full responsibility for operating, modernizing, and expanding Rivatex into a competitive regional textile hub,” said Olaka.
“Our vision is to restore Rivatex to full productive capacity, and beyond that — to make it a model of innovation, sustainability, and partnership.”
Olaka outlined a three-year plan that includes rehiring and retraining former Rivatex employees, investing in new technologies to enhance efficiency and quality, and expanding capacity through a new 200-ton-per-day integrated textile plant.
He added that ARISE IIP will strengthen linkages with cotton farmers across Kitui, Siaya, and Busia counties, ensuring that the entire value chain benefits from the revitalization.
“At full operation, Rivatex will directly and indirectly support over 5,000 jobs, while reviving tens of thousands of livelihoods across Kenya’s cotton-growing counties,” he said.
“Rivatex remains a public asset. The Government of Kenya retains ownership of the land, property, and equipment, while ARISE IIP assumes operational responsibility — with clear performance benchmarks, annual evaluations, and independent audits.”
Olaka emphasized that the partnership is built on transparency, accountability, and shared prosperity, describing it as a model for effective public–private collaboration.
> “We are not here to take over. We are here to partner, perform, and prove that public–private collaboration can deliver true transformation,” he said.
“This partnership is not extractive; it is empowering. Not transactional, but transformational. We are here for the long term — to build a lasting legacy of industrial strength, human dignity, and shared prosperity.”
The agreement aligns with Kenya’s broader effort to revive the textile and apparel industry, leveraging trade opportunities under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) and boosting the country’s role in regional manufacturing and export markets.
