Anxiety as court decides fate of two major companies

Kibos sugar company in Kisumu County.(PHOTO: COLLINS ODUOR)

Two major companies in Nyanza region whose existence are hanging in a balance over their alleged failure to address pollution will know their fate on Friday.

While Kibos Sugar and Allied company is battling to overturn a ruling by the lower courts which invalidated its license, chemicals producer Agro Chemicals and Food Company is hoping the court will dismiss an application seeking for its temporary closure over pollution.

The two companies have been on the spot for pollution with residents seeking court redress in an attempt to compel them to address the matter. The two have employed thousands of Kisumu residents.

In the first case, two Muhoroni residents Patrick Odundo and Maxwell Otieno have accused Agrochemicals of discharging raw effluent into river Nyando and thus polluting the waters, which serves several people.

They have sought for orders seeking to compel the company to find an alternative place to dispose toxic waste, which they claim, is endangering lives.

They also wants the court to restrain the company from any further refuse disposal into the River and or Muhoroni Township pending hearing and determination of the case.

The petitioners are also pushing to have the license of the company suspended by the National Environmental Management Authority should the company fail to comply with their demands.

“We pray that the suspension of the company’s license by NEMA also remains in force,” read their petition in part.

The company however has denied polluting the environment and told the court that it has complied with all the legal requirements and environmental regulations.