Doubt greets plans to revive sugar factories

Scepticism continues to greet plans to revive public sugar mills, though the government has named a task force to find ways of healing the ailing sub-sector.

While Agriculture Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri gave the team 30 days to submit its findings and recommendations, stakeholders say precaution should be taken to avoid wastage of taxpayer funds.

Kenya National Federation of Sugar cane Farmers national treasurer Stephen ole Narupa has called on the government to take action against individuals who looted the money and impoverished farmers before pumping more cash into the sub-sector.

“To give confidence to the stakeholders, the government should instead attach the assets and recover stolen money from officials who looted public funds,” he said.

Mr Narupa doubted that the 16-member team would turn around the sector, whose fortunes have steadily dwindled over the years.

“I challenge the counties to also take advantage of the infrastructure and human capital to invest in the factories, which have been dilapidated due to years of neglect and abandonment.”

Mr Narupa is also the chairman of Transmara Farmers Federation.

His concerns follow President Kenyatta’s acknowledgment of public millers’ woes as private factories thrive when he met western Kenya leaders last month.

The President blamed the fall on laxity and misuse of billions of shillings pumped into sugar operations by successive governments.

“There is nothing to show for the Sh20-to-Sh25 billion that the government has allocated the sugar sector in the last 16 years. It only shows that the money has not been utilised prudently,” he said.

“Compared to the private companies, which started much later and spent considerably less, it is clear that they are now more profitable,” the President said, citing the examples of Transmara, Kwale and West Kenya sugar companies.

The Kiunjuri task force is expected to identify the issues affecting farmers and come up with solutions.

Kenya Union of Sugar Plantation Workers General-Secretary (Kuspaw) Francis Wangara, on the other hand, backed the revival of public mills to sustain the livelihoods of over six million people who depend on the sweetener, both directly and indirectly. He termed it unfortunate that Kenyan factories are producing less than 40 per cent of the local demand, calling for the need to support the collapsing State-owned sugar millers to bridge the deficit.