Youth cause trouble at sugarcane consultative forum

By Renson Buluma

Busia,Kenya;A consultative meeting between cane farmers, government agencies and West Kenya Sugar Company yesterday at Olepito Primary School in Teso South District turned chaotic when a group of youth were roughed up for giving divergent views.

The meeting had to be put on hold for close to an hour as farmers engaged the youth in a fierce fistfight. Trouble started when a group of youth opposed to the manner in which, the company is running its activities started displaying placards to pass their message to the investor who is seeking to construct a sugar-milling factory in the area.

On seeing the placards, a group of farmers sympathetic to the investor demanded that the youth stow away the placards or vacate the school compound because they appeared determined out to dissuade the investor.

“We are here to persuade the investor and representatives of NEMA to allow the company to construct factory here but it seems you have been hired by unknown people to cause trouble,” said an assistant chief who declined to give his name.

“Please remove the placards for your own security or else you may ignite the wrath of farmers,” added the administrator,

But the youth would here none of it and instead continued to display the placards one of which had a message to the company to end cane poaching and remove brokers from