Uproar on sugar pact a tempest in tea cup

Kenyans deserve to get facts right concerning the sugar industry. The hullabaloo raised by politicians after the said sugar deal between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Ugandan counterpart Yoweri Museveni is more political, and facts will bear me witness.

First, Uganda does not have the capacity to meet our sugar shortfall. Ugandan sugar factories are coming out of the Idi Amin slump and can hardly export 50 tonnes of sugar. Our deficit is about 500 tonnes.

Second, Uganda contributes a lot to the Kenyan economy. There are thousands of Kenyans living and doing business in Uganda. So, Uganda exporting its sugar to Kenya is a mere tempest in a tea cup that is not worth the heated exchanges.

Third, those against this bittersweet pact argue that sugar barons will take advantage and ship their smuggled sugar to Uganda, which in turn will flood the market and hurt our sugar industry. This is a genuine concern but it should not be used as an excuse to undermine regional ties. We need to devise ways of taming sugar barons.

Kenyans also need to press the government to revamp ailing sugar factories so that they become more efficient, competitive and modern.

We are in a free market economy and we cannot remain competitive when we are not investing in making our factories enhance their efficacy.