President William Ruto has arrived at Voi, Taita Taveta County where he will preside over the official opening of the Sh60 million Gemstone Value Addition Center.
The centre will now start processing raw gemstones thus boosting the mining industry.
It is the only facility in Kenya where value addition of minerals is to take place before miners sell their products, this will earn the country the much-needed revenue.
It is set to benefit the more than 10,000 people involved in mining activities in the mineral-rich county.
Ruto landed at the Voi police station grounds moments before noon and was received by Governor Andrew Mwadime and Deputy Governor Christine Kilalo.
He is accompanied by Cabinet Secretary Salim Mvurya (Mining, Blue Economy and Maritime Affairs), Mining PS Elijah Mwangi, State House Deputy Chief of Staff Josephat Nanok, former mining CS Dan Kazungu and PSC commissioner Johnstone Muthama are also in Ruto's meeting.
Others are MPs Khamisi Chome (Voi), Peter Shake (Mwatate), John Bwire (Taveta) and Woman representative Lydia Haika among other leaders.
The head of state is expected to address a public gathering at Voi after the opening ceremony.
The centre will further eliminate exploitative dealers and unscrupulous brokers who have been buying the world's most valued stones at throwaway prices.
Once operationalized, the facility will provide a wide range of services including stone cutting and polishing, banking, a gemstone laboratory, and a buying centre, among others.
Further, it will ensure that minerals are processed, packed and labelled with all taxes paid before export thus curbing the smuggling of uncut gemstones by middlemen.
The state targets to generate some Sh3 billion annually as revenue from the value-addition of gemstones set for export from the country, according to a report by the National Development Implementation and Technical Committee (NDITC).
The region is endowed with precious minerals thus making it the ideal location for the value addition facility.
Some of the gemstones in the region include Tsavorite, ruby, chrome tourmaline, yellow tourmaline, red garnets, green garnets and Tanzanite. Others are manganese, iron ore, marble and limestone.
Opening of the gem centre is expected to set the stage for the government's plan to improve the industry not only in Taita Taveta but also in the neighbouring counties of Makueni, Kitui, Kilifi and Kwale.
This is the second time the head of state will be visiting the county since taking power in August last year.
