Setback for Mumias Sugar as cane valued Sh14 million burnt

Mumias Sugar Company’s effort to restart milling has suffered a blow after fire burnt down its nucleus plantation in a suspected arson attack.

In the last two week, the miler has lost close to 500 acres of sugarcane approximately valued at Sh14 million to fire.

The company is terming the act as a deliberate move by individuals who don't want the miller to restart.

The company's recently appointed acting Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Isaac Sheunda has condemned the act which is still under investigation.

"We have lost a lot of good sugarcane at the nucleus which we direly need to resume our operations," said Sheunda.

The management is ruling out accident as the cause of the fires, looks like the timing is well coordinated.

The Mumias Sugar Company had temporarily halted its operations for what the management described as acute cane shortage a year ago.

The company had said could not get sufficient sugarcane because of the persistent cane poaching from rival companies.

Sheunda who is having a hard time settling in his new seat has blamed local politicians for trying to frustrate his work.

Sheunda who was a former security manager at the miller before running Sukari Sacco for over nine years took over the CEO position in acting capacity from Patrick Chebosi a month ago.

"Our leaders are going around mocking me that am a watchman with no qualification of running this company asking people to resist my appointment," said Sheunda.

The company on Thursday used the burnt sugarcane to run a crushing test to access the machines need for maintenance.