Mill licence row leaves farmers with a bitter taste in the mouth

Kakamega County Senator Cleophas Malala during interview with Standard. [Benjamin Sakwa/Standard]

Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala's remark that licensing of Busia Sugar was ill-advised has angered sugarcane farmers.

Senator Malala (pictured) had said the move would worsen the problems the sugar industry faces in the wake of scarcity of raw material.

According to Malala, licensing new mills threatens the existence of State-owned sugar factories.

“The task force will look into ways of cushioning public sugar factories from unhealthy competition,” said the lawmaker.

But Wycliffe Barasa Ng’ong’a, a farmer, said the factory is godsend and farmers stand to benefit once it embarks on crushing cane full throttle.

Mr Ng’ong’a said the proximity of the factory would not only help reduce the huge costs of production significantly, but also encourage more farmers to go back to sugarcane farming in the county.

Kenya National Federation of Sugarcane Famers and Western Development Initiative Association (Wedia), a sugar industry lobby group told Malala to stop meddling in the activities of the new factory.

Wedia chairman Joseph Barasa said feasibility studies by the defunct Kenya Sugar Board showed Busia sugar zone could sustain at least two factories.

“Plans to put up a factory in Busia began in the early 1980s. Malala and his ilk must know the factory didn’t just drop like manna from heaven.”