Ruto administration sponsoring economic sabotage in Nyanza and Western, Azimio
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Azimio coalition alleges of economic sabotage in its backyard following the closure of sugar factories in Nyanza and Western
Azimio coalition alleges of economic sabotage in its backyard following the closure of sugar factories in Nyanza and Western.
National Assembly Minority leader Opiyo Wandayi stated during a press conference at the Parliament Buildings that the Agriculture and Food Authority’s directive is intended to destroy the region’s economy and demanded to be immediately revoked.
“We demand the immediate lifting of the decree on sugar millers just like we continue to demand that our farmers be allowed to access subsidized fertilizers as a right,” Wandayi said.
The statement comes after Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) ordered the temporary closure of sugarcane milling factories for four months over alleged sugar cane.
” Sugarcane milling operations in Western temporarily cease operations with immediate effect for a period of four months to allow sugarcane to mature,” AFA acting director Jude Chesire said.
AFA stated that there would be a deficit of cane production totaling 951,195 tons by June 2023.
The shortage affects Kibos, Sony, Mumias, Sukari, and Kwale mills.
But Wandayi said the move is aimed at creating an artificial sugar shortage to allow cartels to import cheap products.
He also referred to the controversy surrounding the AFA report which stated that Trans Mara, Butali, Naitiri and Olepito sugar mills had enough sugar supply while other millers in the region had less.
“It doesn’t add up that in a vast sugar belt where millers are free to buy cane anywhere, some factories in the same belt would be cane-sufficient while others are cane-deficient,” he said.
Mr Wandayi added that the Agriculture and Food Authority had no power to close sugar mills over an alleged shortage of cane and that this was a move to create a sugar shortage to enable the government to import sugar.
Major sugar mills that have so far closed include West Kenya Sugar Company (Kabras), Butali Sugar Mills, Mumias Sugar and Nzoia Sugar.
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AFA’s decision to shut millers for three months, starting July, is meant to enable sugar firms to address the sugarcane shortage challenge before reopening.
The closure meant that employees working in sugar mills return home, denying businesses heavily reliant on factory workers for profit to make money.
There has been a sugarcane crisis in the larger Western region following neglect of the sugar industry by key stakeholders, a development that pushed farmers away from cane production.
Government data indicates national demand for sugar currently stands at 1.01 million metric tonnes against local production of 490,704 metric tonnes, leaving an annual deficit of 521,695 metric tonnes.
Kenya has a milling capacity of 14.96 million metric tonnes (41,000 tonnes of cane per day).
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