Sugarcane farmers from Kenya’s Nyanza region have called on President William Ruto to take decisive action against what they describe as cartels undermining reforms in the sugar industry.
The Secretary General of the Kenya Sugarcane Growers Association, Richard Ogendo, said progress made in the sector could be reversed unless those behind the alleged interference were stopped.
Speaking during a roundtable meeting with journalists in Kisumu, Mr Ogendo accused unnamed individuals of frustrating reforms through a series of court cases that have halted zonal elections for the Kenya Sugar Board.
He also criticised efforts by some Members of Parliament from the Western region to amend the Sugar Act before it has been fully implemented.
Mr Ogendo questioned the timing of the proposed changes, saying they appeared designed to serve the interests of a few individuals rather than farmers.
He alleged that powerful interests were financing the court cases, arguing that ordinary farmers lacked the financial means to pursue such litigation.
“We want to know who is funding these cases and for what purpose,” he said.
Mr Ogendo, who is also seeking election to represent the Central Zone on the Kenya Sugar Board, further claimed that expatriates were occupying positions in local sugar companies that could be filled by qualified Kenyans.
He also alleged that workers in leased sugar mills had been prevented from joining trade unions and that some employees were facing threats of dismissal for attempting to organise.
The association’s secretary-general said the price paid to farmers for sugarcane remained low compared with other sugar-producing countries.
He accused millers of acting in concert to keep cane prices depressed whenever there were discussions on increasing payments to farmers.
Mr Ogendo also claimed that some elected leaders from sugar-growing regions had been compromised, although he did not provide evidence to support the allegation.
He further alleged that the same group was targeting Kenya Sugar Board chairman Nicholas Gumbo because he had refused to bow to their demands.
The allegations have not been independently verified, and those mentioned were not immediately available for comment.
Leave a comment