Promise to re-open remains a mirage

By Stephen Makabila

Over the last eight months, the Government has made numerous promises of re-opening Pan Paper Mills, but former employees of the factory remain sceptical.

President Mwai Kibaki and Prime Minister Raila Odinga have on separate occasions visited the town and pledged Government’s commitment to revive the factory.

Former workers of Pan Paper Mills turn up daily at its closed gates to find out when it will re-open. [PHOTO: BENJAMIN SAKWA/STANDARD]

The fate of the collapsed Pan Paper Mills also took centre stage at the Western Province Investment Conference in Kakamega early this month.

Webuye MP Alfred Sambu told the conference the Attorney General’s office was holding back efforts to re-open the company.

"Ministries of Industrialisation, Finance and Forestry and Wildlife are ready for the re-opening but the AG Amos Wako should first issue an order blocking any interested parties from rushing to court to oppose the re-opening," said Sambu.

Wako, however, declined to comment over the same when contacted by The Standard on the sidelines of the conference.

While opening the Conference whose theme was "Unlocking the Investment Potential of Western Province", the PM had assured that Pan Paper Mills would be on its feet again.

The PM indicated a local, Government and international partnership was being sought to support the re-opening of the company. Webuye town, one of western Kenya’s thriving towns with an economy dependent on the paper mill, has been grinding to a halt since the January 30 closure of the factory. Employees, their dependents and businesses indirectly linked to the Pan Paper Mills operations have felt the effect most.

 

 

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