ANC leader Musalia Mudavadi and his Ford Kenya counterpart Moses Wetang'ula have said receiver managers should leave Mumias Sugar Company.
Agriculture CS Peter Munya announced a waiver of Sh62.5 billion debts owed by five sugar millers on July 3 to set the stage for their revival.
For this reason, Mudavadi and Wetang'ula wondered why receiver managers were still at Mumias Sugar Company.
“The receiver [managers] came in because the sugar firm is highly indebted and cannot meet its obligations. It’s a contradiction for someone to say the debts have been written off yet the receiver is still stationed at Mumias,” Mudavadi said.
He added, “If they are serious on the cancellation or waiver of debts, then the question is that where are the necessary write off instruments for the debts.”
The leaders said in a joint statement that they want a clear identification and listing of debts owed by all the sugar firms and the waiver legally outlined.
Wetang'ula accused some leaders from the region of moving around with unattainable development agenda.
“Their unworkable thinking is that they will be able to hoodwink people with nonexistent development plans. Luckily our people are alert and beyond being hoodwinked,” Mudavadi said.
Wetang'ula and Mudavadi's remarks have been supported by grassroots leaders in Eldoret and Keiyo led by Nick Mbaka, Micah Kigen, Fred Shabati and Yussuf Keittany.
“We fully support the views by Mudavadi and Wetang'ula because we believe they are sincere on the economy of the region and the county at large,” Mbaka said.
While announcing the waiver, Munya said the government would lease out the underperforming state-owned sugar cane millers.
They include Chemelil, Nzoia, South Nyanza and Miwani and Muhoroni which are under receivership and had a combined market share of 30 per cent.
Munya said the idea behind leasing is that government will invite investors with experience in the global sugar industry.
“Our focus will be on sugar and ethanol, power and value-added products such as industrial sugar, pharma sugar and sugar cubes,” he added.
The debt burden, the CS argued, had almost killed the industry that was a major employer in the region.
Mudavadi and Wetangula also want the government to involve residents in plans to lease out or privatize the sugar firms to lock out cartels.