Kakamega County Governor Wycliffe Ambetsa Oparanya has lashed out at Members of Parliament for rejecting a report on the importation of contaminated sugar into the country.
Speaking during an interview on a national TV station, Governor Oparanya said yesterday’s incident in Parliament where the Hon. Kanini Kega’s led committee report was shot down by legislators is a clear indication of corruption fighting back. He said this was the clearest manifestation of existence of sacred cows which paints parliament in bad light.
He said the 14 governors from the Lake Region Economic Bloc had presented recommendations to the President on what is required to revive the ailing sugar sector in the Western Region, among them putting in place proper importation regulations through reinstatement of the repealed Sugar Act, establishment of a committee to handle sugar importation whenever necessary and complete devolution of agriculture including public sugar factories.
He said agriculture being the mainstay of the region’s economy, counties should play a more active role in the sector and the national government should take over the Shs84 billion owed to farmers and suppliers, in addition to giving incentives to farmers to produce more effectively. He also said the land acquired from farmers in Mumias should be insulated from privatization.
Earlier on H.E. the Governor hosted the Kenya Communications Sports Organization (KECOSO) Council members led by governing council Chairman Cyril Wayong’o in his office ahead of the official opening of KECOSO games tomorrow at Bukhungu stadium. The Governor also inspected a new county bus and enforcement landcruiser vehicle purchased by the government to offer transport services to staff and the enforcement officers respectively.
Present also was Finance and Planning CECM Geoffrey Omulayi, his Counterpart at the Social Services, Youths, Culture and Sports Ministry CECM Hon. Robert Makhanu, Chief of Staff Robert Sumbi and the Head of Transport Ishmael Makanga.
More than five million people directly or indirectly depend on sugarcane farming in Kenya. Most farming is in western Kenya. Previously some sugarcane was grown in parts of Coast Province.
Sugar-cane is a coarse perennial grass of the tropical world. It has tall stout canes that grow to a height of about three metres and yield sugar. In Kenya cane growing on a commercial scale began in Miwani and Kibos areas of Kisumu District and Ramisi and Shimoni areas of Kwale District between 1902 and 1940′.
The early estates were operated by Asians. After independence, the Government began large scale sugar projects in Nyanza and Western Provinces in an attempt to meet the growing local sugar demands which were being supplemented by imports from Uganda.
Eighty eight per cent of area under sugarcane in Kenya is under out growers. The majorities are small-scale growers; the remaining is under sugar factories in the form of nucleus estates.
Currently, six sugar factories in Kenya function out of which one is entirely private (West Sugar company). Mumias Sugar Company was privatized in 2001, with Government majority shareholding. The remaining factories are government owned-South Nyanza, Nzoia, Muhoroni and Chemelil.
he Nyanza Sugar-cane belt extending from Koru through Muhoroni and Chemelil to Kibos near Kisumu. Sugarcane is also grown in Kisii and Siaya Districts.
In Western Kenya, Mumias has dominated in sugar-cane cultivation.
Some sugar-cane is found in Bungoma around Nzoia and eastern parts of Busia.
In these areas, sugar-cane is grown on plantations owned by the factories and out- grower schemes. Sugar factories are dotted in sugar growing areas such as Muhoroni, Chemelil, Miwani and Sony in Nyanza Province, Mumias, Nzoia and West Kenya in Westem Province. Plans are under way to establish another sugar factory at Nambale in Busia District, Tana River District and Homa Bay District.