President Uhuru orders individuals who fleeced Mumias Sugar to be charged

President Uhuru Kenyatta (Photo: Courtesy)

President Uhuru Kenyatta has directed that individuals implicated in fleecing ailing Mumias Sugar Company to be charged for their actions.

President Uhuru noted that the Government has adopted several strategies to ensure that the firm is back on track, including injecting billions of shillings in a bailout arrangement.

"We are not to blame for the problems facing Mumias sugar, those people who plunged it into the current financial crisis must be held accountable and return what they took from the company," said President Uhuru.

The Head of State spoke during a live radio interview conducted jointly by Bungoma based West FM and state owned radio Ingo from Kakamega state lodge on Friday.

The management of the company was involved in negotiations in May with The National Treasury for an additional Sh3.14 billion bailout.

Mumias East MP Benjamin Washiali confirmed the bailout plan after a board meeting at the miller’s offices in Mumias.

Nashon Aseka took over at the ailing Sugar Company as the new CEO in June with hopes high that he would revive the miller's fortunes.

He became the fourth CEO since Nairobi Governor Evans Kidero quit in 2012 to venture into politics.

The three-year reign of Mr Peter Kebati, who succeeded Kidero, did little to return the company to profit-making. Kebati was formerly the finance manager at the miller.

Kebati's exit paved the way for Coutts Otolo, who served briefly before the firm's board replaced him with Errol Johnston. Johnston was expected to initiate a turn-around to rescue the country's top sugar producer but this did not happen.

The Australian declined a new contract, prompting the board of directors to settle for Mr Aseka, who worked at the miller as factory manager between 2009 and 2010. Aseka has also worked with the industry regulator, the Sugar Directorate.