Assure farmers before privatising sugar firms

There is a stalemate following an injunction filed in court on the planned privatisation of sugar firms.

Whatever the outcome, there should be an assurance to farmers that their interests will not be trampled upon. It pays to delay the exercise a bit and get things done right rather than starting on a faulty note. There is still room to incorporate crucial issues.

The shareholding structure should be reworked to include county governments. The propaganda being peddled that governors want to be involved in day-to-day running of the factories is hogwash.  Agriculture is a devolved function. You cannot disenfranchise county governments in such projects.

Most roads in the entire sugar belt are in deplorable state. The Sugar Development Levy should now be diverted to roads.

It is hoped that private owners would embark on massive cane development exercise in order to improve yield. It would be foolhardy to embark on such an exercise and ignore roads.