CS Mwangi Kiunjuri seems to have finally learnt is lesson and is now bent on doing things right, at least in one agricultural sector, the Sugar sector.
Following orders by the President, the CS has today formed a task force to look into permanent ways of tackling the challenges facing the sugar sector.
The CS will co-chair the team with Kakamega governor Wycliff Oparanya. Other members are Governors Okoth Obado (Migori county governor), Anyang’ Nyong’o (Kisumu).
Other members of the team are, Mrs Omondi, Bernard Otieno (Public millers), Patel Kobal (private millers), Ken Obao (private millers), and Carolyne (intergovernmental relations technical committee).
Patrick Omtia (governmental budget and economic council), Zakao Maraga (Agriculture ministry),Solomon Odera (Agriculture and food authority) Solomon Gitungu (Treasury) will also be part of the team.
Others are MP Emanuel Wangwe (Navakholo), Francis Waswa (Kenya sugar federation), and Mrs Lamenya (representing Attorney General).
According to Kiunjuri, the task force shall review the policy of the sugar industry, check on the emerging challenges facing the sugar industry, do research and review importation of sugar.
They will also undertake comparative analysis of the sugar industry, undertake an analysis of roles of stakeholders and how they can collaborate to develop the sugar sub sector.
The task force is also expected to review the pricing of the sugar, funding mechanism, address all the issues that may revitalize the sugar industry.
Kiunjuri added that the task force shall work and foward its recommendations within 30 days. The team is expected to get down to business this Friday as the CS has already fowarded their names to the Attorney General for gazettement.
President Uhuru Kenyatta had already issued a directive to the Ministry of Agriculture and the Treasury to put in place a framework to pay sugarcane farmers their Sh 2.6 billion arrears.
Uhuru said the amount should be audited first before payments are made for cane delivery.
“My administration has consistently focused on supporting sugarcane farming and production. It is not acceptable that factories have been collecting cane from farmers and not paying for it yet the demand for sugar is on the rise,” he said.
Premier miller Mumias Sugar Company has been shut down because of a Sh20 billion debt.
The factory owes cane farmers more than Sh 700 million. Other public millers are Sony, Muhoroni, Nzoia, Chemilil and Miwani.