Investor to put Sh8.5bn into sugar cane farming

Siaya Governor Cornel Rasanga has urged locals to embrace an Asian who wants to invest Sh8.5 billion in cultivation of sugar cane in Yala Swamp.

He said locals stood to gain from many job opportunities as the investment will also include installation of a sugar milling plant.

Mr Rasanga lamented that many developments are failing in the county because of the hostility residents are showing investors.

“The land is currently idle, thus, it will be prudent that we allow the investors to cultivate it for the benefit of all of us,” Mr Rasanga said.

“We need to encourage development in the county and stop politicking because it is costing us economically,” he told the public at St Pantalion Catholic Church in Siaya Town.

“The county requires viable projects to employ the high number of youth leaving schools annually.”

“I appeal to residents to embrace the Indian investor’s interest in sugar production because this is for our own good as well,” said Mr Rasanga.

EDUCATE LOCALS

County officials would be dispatched to educate locals on the investment on the 17,000-acre land.

Mr Rasanga said the investors had conducted feasibility studies which showed the land was suitable for the sugar cane growing.

He added that the county government is currently working on the long term to solve the differences between the Yala Swamp residents and the Dominion Farms.

“We want to ensure the investors and locals coexist and that non feels exploited,” Mr Rasanga said.

“The noise people have been making over such plans has turned away many investors and donors in the past. However, we do not also want to see the rights of the people violated by the investors.”