Court halts building of Sh10bn sugar factory in Busia
A tractor delivering sugar cane to a factory. Plans to build a Sh10 billion sugar factory in Busia have been put on hold after a resident moved to the High Court. The complainant said farmers and others members of the community were not consulted before the project was licensed. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Construction of the factory with a daily crushing capacity of 3,000 tonnes has already begun at Ebusibwabo, Nambale Sub-County.
- The complainant said farmers and others members of the community were not consulted before the project was licensed.
- Kenya Sugarcane Growers Association chairman Ibrahim Juma said they had instructed lawyers to challenge case.
- Farmers in Busia pay between Sh900 and Sh1,200 as transport charges for cane delivered to Mumias Sugar factory in Kakamega.
Plans to construct a Sh10 billion sugar factory in Busia have been put on hold after a resident sued in the High Court.
Construction of the factory with a daily crushing capacity of 3,000 tonnes has already begun at Ebusibwabo, Nambale Sub-County, on an 80-acre parcel of land.
The complainant said farmers and other members of the community were not consulted before the project was licensed.
However, Kenya Sugarcane Growers Association chairman Ibrahim Juma said they had instructed lawyers to challenge the case.
The association said the case was meant to frustrate cane growers and deny the county government revenue.
“For 10 years, Busia farmers have been looking forward to the construction of the factory,” Mr Juma said.
Farmers in Busia pay between Sh900 and Sh1,200 as transport charges for cane delivered to Mumias Sugar factory in Kakamega County.
The case will be mentioned on November 4, 2014.
