Nairobi — President Kibaki reopened the Webuye-based Pan African Paper Mills after a one-and-a-half-year closure.

The machines roared back to life on Thursday amid cheers from residents and political leaders after they were switched on by the Head of State.

The factory is a lifeline to more than 30,000 people in Webuye Town.

More than 700 employees out of the more than 1,500 have been recalled and have been working at the mills in readiness for the reopening.

The factory employs about 5,000 casual workers when in full operation.

The leaders who attended the occasion included Deputy Prime Minister Musalia Mudavadi, Foreign Affairs minister Moses Wetang'ula, area MP Alfred Sambu and several other MPs from the region.

The leaders then took the President on a tour of the mills, where he was shown the factory's new products.

Efforts to revive the factory started in September last year.

When the President failed to mention the revival of the mills when he addressed residents at Muliro Gardens, they shouted: "Pan Paper! Pan Paper!"

The Head of State then asked Mr Sambu to explain what the residents wanted.

Mr Sambu told him: "They want to hear you talk about the official reopening of the factory."

President Kibaki then said: "Hiyo tushafungua.(That we shall reopen)". This was greeted by wild cheers from the crowd.

Central Organisation of Trade Union secretary-general Francis Atwoli urged the President to have the name of the factory changed to Webuye Paper Mills so that it operates independently. Mr Atwoli said many obstacles stood in the way of the revival of the mills.

Vice-President Kalonzo Musyoka said for the factory to be able to move forward, the change of name was inevitable.

All political leaders who spoke during the rally told the President that factories, among them Pan Paper, were the lifeline of Western Kenya.

Kanduyi MP Alfred Khang'ati urged the government to have people with good management records in charge of factories. Bad management is to blame for the collapse of many factories in the area, he added.

Life for the residents of the town and former employees of the company had been a nightmare since the mills closed on February 18 last year.

But they are now heaving a sigh of relief after the government released Sh500 million last month to revive the mills.