According to reports by the company’s board chair, Joash Wamang’oli, the treasury has indicated that the money has been put in place to pay farmers directly instead of disbursing the funds to millers account.
The company’s board chair lauded the government for releasing the money to pay 17,269 farmers who supplied the millers with cane. He further told the farmers that they will receive the money in their accounts by the end of this week.
Wamang’oli encouraged farmers to support the government in its initiative to help the sugar industry stating that anyone opposing the initiative is an enemy of farmers. He asked Saul Busolo, former chairman of sugar board who formed a parallel taskforce to end his drama now that the payment of farmers is set to be released.
He urged all farmers to ensure their accounts are active to avoid inconveniences during pay.
On 10th January 2019, President Uhuru Kenyatta assured cane farmers that the state would soon pay their dues. He said in a statement, ”Last year during Madaraka day I directed the Ministry of Agriculture to finalize the audit and verify pending payments to sugar cane farmers. I am pleased to confirm that the process has been successfully completed and I therefore direct the Ministry of Agriculture and the National Treasury to immediately start the process of paying the farmers.”
He further stated that the newly appointed task force would soon come up with amicable, non-partisan solutions to challenges facing the sugar industry as a whole. The taskforce is led by Cabinet secretary for Agriculture Mwangi Kiunjuri and Kakamega governor Wycliffe Oparanya.
The statement came after farmers expressed their frustrations to parliamentary implementation Committee.
Currently, the sugar company pays its farmers Sh 3800 per tonne.