Wetangula reacts to planned disposal of Mumuas Sugar assets

KAKAMEGA, KENYA: Ford Kenya Party leader Moses Wetangula says move by Mumias Sugar to dispose some of the company assets is worrying.

Speaking on phone, Wetangula said the move confirms their worst fears that the agenda of some of the managers is to strip the assets of the company and they must be stopped.

“I am seriously disturbed with ongoing in Mumias Sugar Company, while everybody is anxiously waiting for the taskforce report on the revival of the sugar sector, Mumias board of management want to dispose of some of the Mumias assets to put money into the company. This is worrisome because it confirms our worst fears that the agenda of some of these managers is to strip the assets of the company,” Wetangula said.

He says selling the Golf Course, which stands on close to 200 acres of land, real estates, houses, and schools, which have been the flagship, and pride of Mumias and western region is wrong.

“Schools like Booker Academy have been posting sterling performance. Disposing them will affect the growth of the region. As leaders we will not accept that and action must be taken immediately,” he said.

He pointed out on the publication of directors elected to head Mumias Sugar Company saying there is no single representation from western.

“Who is representing the farmers, workers and local interest including county government of Kakamega, Busia, Bungoma, and Vihiga? Farming is a devolved function and we need a person from the region to be among those elected,” Wetangula said.

During an annual general meeting held in Kisumu last week, Mumias Sugar Company chair Kennedy Ngumbau said the company is on a mission to reduce its bloated workforce from 1,680 to 465 as it seeks recovery.

The company also announced to the shareholders their plans to get rid of their non-core business like the airstrip, golf course, schools and water bottling company as they concentrate on sugar milling.

Dr. Ngumbau said the miller had rolled out plans to commercialise the 2,200 housing units, which will go at the market rate as they look forward to generating more income to run other operations of the company.