Cane farmers want factory managers to quit over graft

What you need to know:

  • Mr Walubi said Kensugu would mobilise its over 2000 members to eject the management of State-owned millers if the government does not sack them.

Sugarcane farmers from across the country, under the umbrella Kenya National Sugarcane Growers Union (KENSUGU) have called for the sacking of top managers of state-owned millers who they accuse of swindling money and running down the factories.

Speaking at Mabanga after holding a consultative meeting with over 500 sugarcane farmers from Bungoma County, Kensugu national organizing secretary Stephen Walubi and his Bungoma County counterpart Nato Meleme said state-owned mills have been run down by cartels that involve factory management.

“The factories keep harvesting and milling sugarcane yet they can’t pay farmers without getting loans from the government. This has to stop. The managers should tell us if they are on a looting spree ahead of privatisation,” said Mr Walubi in a statement he read on behalf of the farmers.

State-owned sugar millers include Nzoia, Muhoroni, Chemilili,Sony and Miwani.

Mr Walubi said farmers had continued to suffer because of delayed payment for their deliveries.

Delayed payment

“At times, farmers have to wait for more than six months to be paid for their cane which was delivered, crushed and sold. The law says payment should be within 14 days,” he said.

Mr Walubi said Kensugu would mobilise its over 2000 members to eject the management of State-owned millers if the government does not sack them.

The farmers representatives welcomed the extension of the Comesa safeguard window for an additional one year but warned that the industry would be in the same state unless the management of sugar mills is overhauled.

The farmers said the sugar industry is faced with a myriad of challenges that include both operational and policy issues which make the industry a high cost producer.