# Bamburi Pushes Low-Carbon Cement in Kenya Public Works

> Bamburi Cement advocates for procurement scoring and green finance taxonomy changes to boost low-carbon cement in Kenyan public infrastructure.

- By: Editorial Team, Somali Construction Review (https://somaliconstructionreview.com/about)
- Published: 4 November 2026
- Format: News story (reported from one named public source)
- Publication: Somali Construction Review (https://somaliconstructionreview.com)
- Subject: Materials
- Tags: cement, materials, material-testing
- Web version: https://somaliconstructionreview.com/blog/bamburi-low-carbon-cement-kenya-public-works

## Key points

- Bamburi Cement is advocating for higher procurement scores for low-carbon cement suppliers in Kenya's public projects.
- The company claims its DuraCem product cuts CO2 emissions by 64 percent versus ordinary Portland cement, but the basis is not independently verified.
- Bamburi targets supplying over one million tonnes of cement to the proposed Dangote refinery SEZ in Lamu, but no supply contract is confirmed.

Bamburi Cement is pushing for the adoption of low-carbon cement in public infrastructure projects, according to a report by AllAfrica: Kenya dated 4 November 2026. The report, by Capital FM's Phidel Kizito from Nairobi, outlines the manufacturer's advocacy for policy changes that would favor cement with lower carbon emissions in government procurement.

Bamburi wants public procurement specifications to award higher scores to suppliers offering cement with lower carbon emissions, according to the report. The company is also advocating for including low-carbon cement in the Central Bank of Kenya's Green Finance Taxonomy, which it says would encourage uptake by developers and financial institutions. Additionally, Bamburi supports standardized cement specifications and Environmental Product Declarations to enable buyers to compare carbon footprints.

At the center of Bamburi's push is DuraCem, a locally manufactured 42.5-grade cement designed for large-scale and marine construction, with resistance to sulphates and chlorides. Bamburi claims DuraCem cuts CO2 emissions by 64 percent versus ordinary Portland cement. The company says one 50-kg bag of DuraCem carries about 64 percent less CO2 than ordinary Portland cement. The report does not disclose the baseline, methodology, or independent verification for the 64 percent reduction claim.

DuraCem is manufactured using alternative fuels, including rice husks and waste tyres, according to the report. Bamburi is also targeting supply of more than one million tonnes of cement to the proposed Dangote East Africa Petroleum Refinery and Petrochemical Special Economic Zone in Lamu, though the report does not state whether a supply contract has been secured.

Bamburi's advocacy comes as it invests in production capacity through a Sh32 billion engineering, procurement and construction contract with China's Sinoma CBMI for a clinker plant in Matuga, Kwale County. The report does not state whether the Sh32 billion is in Kenya shillings or Uganda shillings. The proposed facility will have an annual clinker capacity of 1.6 million tonnes, supporting Bamburi's plan to increase cement production capacity from 1.8 million to four million tonnes annually. The report does not specify a timeframe for the capacity increase or the current status of the proposed plant.

Jane Wangari, Bamburi Cement Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Director, is named in the report. The wider adoption of low-carbon cement will depend on procurement policies, competitive pricing and the ability of manufacturers to demonstrate independently verified environmental performance, according to the report.

> **Note:** The report does not indicate whether any procurement policy changes have been made or are under consideration in Kenya, nor does it confirm the currency of the Sh32 billion contract.

## Questions

### What specific low-carbon cement standards is Kenya considering?

The report does not say Kenya is considering any specific standards. Bamburi is advocating for standardized cement specifications and Environmental Product Declarations, but no policy changes are confirmed.

### Would low-carbon cement be more expensive?

The report does not provide price information. It only states that wider adoption will depend on competitive pricing.

## Sources

- [Bamburi Pushes for Low-Carbon Cement in Public Infrastructure Projects](https://allafrica.com/stories/202611040318.html) — AllAfrica: Kenya, 2026-11-04