Uhuru says State will implement sugar report

The Government will implement fully recommendations made by the sugar taskforce.

The Government will implement fully recommendations made by the sugar taskforce, President Uhuru Kenyatta has said.

Speaking yesterday after receiving the taskforce report in Nairobi, Uhuru said the Government is keen to ensure Kenyan sugarcane farmers earn decent incomes from their crop.

The taskforce co-chaired by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has proposed the re-introduction of the sugar levy.

It has also proposed the re-introduction of the sugar levy, privatisation of public sugar mills to enhance their efficiency and the enactment of the Sugar Act.

 “As leaders, ours is to ensure farmers get maximum returns from their sweat,” the President said.

The sugar levy will be charged on consumers so as to raise the revenue needed to assist farmers to develop their sugarcane.

Other proposed reforms include the gazettement of the sugar sector regulations including import rules, amendment of the AFA Act and Crops Act inline with the 2010 Constitution, and a review of the taxation regime in the sector to enhance investor incentives.

Strict compliance

The taskforce also proposed strict compliance with the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa) regulations and outlined a raft of reforms needed to increase the sugar sector’s productivity.

On privatisation, President Kenyatta said the Government doesn’t need to engage in business since its role is in facilitating farmers to get the best seed, fertiliser and other farm implements.

 “The private sector will do business while ours will be to support farmers interests,” Uhuru said.

Mr Oparanya said the taskforce is convinced that with the implementation of the report, the country will be able to revive its ailing sugar sector.

He thanked the President for his commitment to the revival of the sugar sector.

Cabinet Secretaries Munya and Ukur Yattani (Treasury) and governors Anyang Nyong’o (Kisumu) and Wycliffe Wangamati (Bungoma) are members of the taskforce.