Sh400m to clear sugar farmers’ dues
Sugar cane farmers of Nyaporo village in Mumias East constituency chewing pieces of cane after working on their cane farms. Sh400 million, earlier earmarked for an advance payment scheme, will be used to clear amounts owed to cane farmers. PHOTO | ISAAC WALE | FILE
What you need to know:
- The Kenya Sugar Board’s Mumias sugar zone director, Mr Mohammed Mukhwana, and his Busia counterpart, Mr Billy Wanjala, said that the advance scheme would be revisited after all the farmers had been paid their dues.
- The officials cited Sh500 million given to Mumias by the government, only to be diverted for other purposes.
Sh400 million, earlier earmarked for an advance payment scheme, will be used to clear amounts owed to cane farmers.
The Kenya Sugar Board’s Mumias sugar zone director, Mr Mohammed Mukhwana, and his Busia counterpart, Mr Billy Wanjala, said that the advance scheme would be revisited after all the farmers had been paid their dues.
“It would be unthinkable to go ahead with the advance scheme when farmers are suffering,” Mr Mukhwana said.
“We have asked millers to prepare and forward lists of farmers who have not been paid since February,” he said.
DIVERTED FUNDS
Mr Wanjala said that millers had, in the past, diverted funds meant to clear the arrears, to other projects.
“The money will be deposited directly into the farmers’ bank accounts as soon as the information required reaches the board,” he said.
The officials cited Sh500 million given to Mumias by the government, only to be diverted for other purposes.
But Mumias Acting Managing Director Coutts Otolo said the company was yet to pay farmers for at least three consecutive months.
He said the firm received at least 6,500 tonnes of sugar cane everyday despite the challenges they have been facing in the past couple of months.
