Sugar union to strike over cheap import

What you need to know:

  • Secretary-General Francis Wangara said the strike would interrupt milling in all factories at the sugar belt until the government enforces law to fight illegal imports

A strike looms in the sugar industry over continued importation of the commodity duty free.

The Kenya Union of Sugar Plantations and Allied Workers yesterday threatened to take the action claiming the government was not keen on stopping cheap sugar imports.

Speaking in Mumias on Sunday, the union’s Secretary-General Francis Wangara said the strike would interrupt milling in all factories at the sugar belt until the government enforces law to fight illegal imports.

Mr Wangara said the union’s national office was disappointed at the government’s non-response to sugar smuggling despite concerns farmers.

NO OTHER OPTION

“As a union, we have no other option but to call for a strike to push the government to deal with sugar barons involved in importation of duty-free sugar and cushion farmers and millers from imminent collapse,” he said.

Illegal imports had resulted to exorbitant costs of producing sugar locally, according to the union boss.

He urged the government to adopt stringent measures and workable mechanisms to seal all the loopholes that have allowed some traders to smuggle duty-free imports into the country.