- Koyoo says despite the many challenges facing Chemelil, Muhoroni and Miwani sugar factories the government has not shown goodwill to deal with the ailing sugar industry.
- The mills are on the brink of collapsing due to the financial crisis, obsolete machines and huge debts.
Image: MAURICE ALAL
Muhoroni MP Onyango Koyoo has criticised the government for failing to revitalise the state-owned sugar mills in Kisumu to make them profitable to farmers.
He said despite the many challenges facing Chemelil, Muhoroni and Miwani sugar factories, the government has not shown goodwill to deal with the ailing sugar industry.
The mills in Muhoroni are on the brink of collapsing due to the financial crisis, obsolete machines and huge debts, he said.
Koyoo wants the government to ensure the sugar mills are back in business fully through installation of new machines. He also wants the state to clear the debts to enable them produce sufficient sugar for the benefit of farmers in the region.
“These mills are paying taxes despite the low production. Locals are paying taxes too and therefore they have the right to get value for their money by revamping the factories,” he said.
He spoke during the Muhoroni constituency football extravaganza in Chemelil roundabout on Sunday.
The MP challenged President William Ruto to help restore the sugar sector by pumping money, noting that millions of Kenyans depend on the factories for their livelihoods.
“You must walk the talk and fulfil the campaign pledges you made to the electorates. As the President, you should improve the competitiveness of the state-owned sugar mills in the country,” Koyoo said.
Ruto, he said, has always pledged to create jobs for thousands of unemployed Kenyans yet his government was not committed to make the sugar industry, capable of employing millions of people, more vibrant.
He also raised concerns of private millers who import sugar, repackage and sell causing competition to public mills.
“The illegal importation of sugar is killing the local millers. The government should deal with the sugar barons in the country,” Koyoo said.
He added that public mills produce little sugar yet the market was full with illegally imported sugar, affecting the production.
Beside illegal importation, he regretted farmers were still growing old varieties that take more than 18 months to mature. He asked the government to invest in research and come up with early maturing canes.
Koyoo told Ruto to safeguard the interests of farmers through massive investment into the sector to enable them increase their income.
“Politics should be kept off the sugar sector. He should complete the plans by his predecessor, retired President Uhuru Kenyatta, to revive the sector by buying new machines for the ailing mills,” he said.
In May, the government denounced any plans to privatise the sugar companies.
Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi said the government had better plans to revamp the sector.
He said the government was committed to ensuring sugar millers become more productive and beneficial to farmers.
Linturi revealed that those pushing for privatisation were not genuine as they had hidden agenda which would not benefit farmers.
He added that the government must protect public property, saying some people were only interested in grabbing land in the cane growing areas.