Sugarcane farmers from across the country have threatened to stage nationwide protests over claims of coordinated scheme by the government, sugar cartels and millers to frustrate the election of Kenya Sugar Board directors through a series of court cases.
The farmers, speaking under the umbrellas of the Kenya National Federation of Sugarcane Farmers (KNFSF) and the Kenya Association of Sugarcane and Allied Products (KASAP), warned that unless the government intervenes to end the legal stalemate, they will mobilise farmers across the country's sugar belt for demonstrations and could withdraw their political support for President William Ruto in the 2027 General Election.
Their warning came after Kakamega High Court Judge Stephen Mbungi directed all parties seeking to be enjoined in a petition challenging the Kenya Sugar Board elections to file their submissions within one week.
Justice Mbungi further said the court would issue directions on July 31, 2026, on both the main petition challenging the board elections and a related case that had been transferred from the Vihiga Law Courts to Kakamega High Court, including whether the matter should be referred back to Vihiga as requested by one of the petitioners.
The farmers, who had gathered outside the Kakamega High Court after the proceedings, expressed disappointment with the latest development, saying they had hoped the court would clear the way for elections that had initially been scheduled for June 25, 2026.
According to the farmers, the prolonged court battles are intended to keep the Kenya Sugar Board without elected farmer representatives while creating room for sugar imports that benefit cartels at the expense of local cane growers.
"We came to court with an anticipation of a positive ruling that we are going to have an election because we were supposed to have an election on June 25, 2026. Unfortunately, we have some people who are just dragging farmers to court with cases throughout," said KNFSF Secretary General Killion Osur Anyango.
He accused individuals behind the court cases of lacking legitimate interests in the sugar sector.
"Even for now what we have seen, we are going to take charge of our farmers and we are going to make a decision. I am going to call an executive board then the governing council next week then we are going to the streets openly and we have nothing to hide because the courts are playing games with us. Those who are filing cases in court are not farmers and they cannot even prove to court that they have delivered cane to a particular factory," said Anyango.
The federation's secretary general appealed directly to President William Ruto to intervene and ensure the elections proceed, claiming there was a wider scheme involving millers, sugar cartels and government officials to maintain control of the sector and facilitate sugar imports.
"We are seeing cartels wanting to import sugar including the millers and we are telling the President to intervene quickly and failure to do that we are going to mobilise farmers from the cane-growing zone not to vote in 2027 because as for now we have now known the kind of games the government is playing with us and enough is enough. We are now going to take action in our own hands," he said.
Anyango also opposed proposed amendments to the Kenya Sugar Act, arguing that they seek to replace elected Kenya Sugar Board directors with appointed officials, thereby denying farmers their democratic right to choose their representatives.
"Right now we have another Bill in Parliament which wants to have nominations of board directors instead of elected ones. For those MPs taking the Bill to Parliament, why should they take a Bill in the House to have board directors nominated? We have proof that the government is in this game because they are pushing an amendment in Parliament for our money from the Sugar Development Levy to be merged with other commodities and we want our right. We are saying no government, no to Indian cartels and no to sugar importers," he said.
KASAP National Chairman Charles Atiang' echoed the federation's concerns, accusing the Kenya Sugar Board and the government of deliberately frustrating implementation of reforms by allowing farmers to remain entangled in litigation.
"We are so dissatisfied with the so-called Ruto's government. It is clear that the Kenya Sugar Board is playing games with farmers. They ought to have organised an election but the affidavit they have sworn in court does not give a clear direction of farmers having an election. For the last three months we have been in courts, Kisumu and Kakamega, and this is to frustrate farmers to the advantage of cartels in the sugar industry," said Atiang'.
He further alleged that the Ministry of Agriculture was backing legislative changes that would remove farmers' ability to elect their own representatives to the Kenya Sugar Board.
"We have seen clearly that the government has a direct hand in our woes. The CS for Agriculture Mutahi Kagwe is pushing for changes in Parliament to have board directors appointed and not elected when he has his own representative, the President has his appointee who is the chairperson and the Council of Governors has the same. We are asking why they want farmers not to elect their representatives. We have resolved that on Tuesday next week we are marching to Kilimo House to take the CS head-on and we are being forced to jump from 'Two Term' to 'One Term' now," he said.
The farmers also criticised proposals to amend the Sugar Act by transferring the Sugar Development Levy Fund to the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), saying the move would deprive cane farmers of resources meant specifically for development of the sugar industry.
"We are now certain that the government is fully in what is going on. We have billions of shillings from the Sugar Development Levy to support farmers but that is not happening. Instead, we have an amendment to do away with the kitty and move it to AFA and we see this as a deliberate move for the government to use our money for campaigns. We are going to fight this to the latter and ensure they don't succeed in continuing to make farmers poorer at the advantage of a few and our anger will translate into the ballot in 2027," Atiang' said.
Mumias cane farmer Catherine Amai urged the government to demonstrate its commitment to reforms by facilitating the resolution of the court cases and implementing the Kenya Sugar Act as enacted.
"We are aware the Kenya Sugar Board and government are employing delay tactics not to have an election so that they can push for the amendment of the Kenya Sugar Act to have board directors appointed. We want to tell the government to stop double speak. The Kenya Sugar Act is very clear. If the same government had a genuine intention of bringing the Act to help the farmers, then let it order for removal of the cases in courts and implement the Act to the letter to end the suffering of farmers," said Amai.
The dispute over the Kenya Sugar Board elections comes at a critical time for the sugar sector, with farmers insisting that the election of their representatives is essential for effective management of the industry and protection of their interests.
