Uhuru re-instills hope in sugar cane farmers

President Uhuru Kenyatta on Saturday assured Sugar cane farmers that they will be paid in due time.

The head of state said a list of all the farmers who have not been paid is being finalised and will soon be out before commencement of the payments.

Speaking during the burial ceremony of former Youth Fund boss Bruce Odhiambo, Uhuru said it is unfortunate that sugar cane sector has for years encountered perennial problems that have crippled the industry.

He said his administration is however looking on ways to find a lasting solution that will reboost the sector.

Uhuru said currently a task force led by the council of governors chairman Wycliffe Oparanya and the Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri is finalising a report on what has been troubling the sector.

Once this report is forwarded to me we shall sit down with all the political leaders from Nyanza and Western and all stakeholders and have a serious dialogue on how to find lasting solutions to these problems,” he said.

“We are tired of each year we are told cane farmers have not been paid, machines have broken down and such many things. We want to put an end to this and see how farmers can benefit from what they toil for,” he added.

Uhuru said they are just waiting for parliament to approve the supplementary budget which will be key in clearing the farmers’ debt.

A tractor arranges sugar cane stalks at an open yard within the Mumias sugar factory in western Kenya.FILE

“We have agreed that all the farmers who have not been paid will be paid very soon. However this money will not be paid through companies but will be given direct to the farmers,” he said.

In October last year, the president directed 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.

Sugarcane being delivered at the West Kenya Sugar factory.

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.

Uhuru said the people who embezzled money meant for farmers must be pursued and prosecuted.

 

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