NIS admits it has no clue who dumps cheap sugar in Kenya
What you need to know:
- The spy chief becomes the third high profile State officer to cast doubt on the country’s ability to arrest rising illegal sugar importation, putting the future of the local industry in further uncertainty.
The National Intelligence Service boss Michael Gichangi Thursday stunned a parliamentary committee by admitting that the agency has no idea on who was dumping sugar in the country.
While appearing before the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, Mr Gichangi, however, said that the spy agency regularly provides intelligence information about suspicious sugar importation to relevant authorities but no action is taken, much to the surprise of committee members.
The spy chief becomes the third high profile State officer to cast doubt on the country’s ability to arrest rising illegal sugar importation, putting the future of the local industry in further uncertainty.
The Kenya Revenue Authority and the Police Service have also separately admitted to the committee that they are unable to crack down on the illegal imports.
Sources within the Agriculture committee, which was closed to the Media, said MPs were not satisfied with Mr Gichangi’s explanation and demanded that he provides a proper account.
Involved in the racket
“Actually, we are surprised that NIS cannot provide a single sugar baron; We gave Mr Gichangi 14 days to present a list of importers suspected to be involved in the racket,” Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali said.
The heated meeting saw Nyando MP Fred Outa kicked out after he alleged that committee chairman Nur Mohammed has been compromised.
“The chairman is protecting the NIS director from tough grilling, yet he is the person we believe has all the intelligence about illegal sugar imports,” Mr Outa said after being dismissed from the committee room.
Never find solution
The Agriculture committee has been investigating illegal sugar importation vice since mid-last year, and Mr Outa said it is now dawning on members that they may never find a solution.
“The conduct of the chairman and some members of the committee has proved that the term of this Parliament may end without us finding a solution to this problem in the sugar industry,” Mr Outa said.
