Sugarcane farmers harvesting their crop. [NMG]
Sugarcane farmers in the South Nyanza region are now demanding the privatisation commission mandated in disposal of state-owned sugar millers to actively involve them in the design and deliberations on the sales of the sugar millers.
According to the Kenya Federation of Sugarcane Farmers secretary general Ezra Okoth, the failure by the commission to address the interests of growers in Nyanza and western Kenya has clearly shown that farmers are not being actively involved in the sale process.
Okoth who was speaking to media last week at the Migori town noted that adequate preparation was needed in the sales of multi-billion shilling factories as growers and county governments are also to be allowed to buy substantial shares.
“Adequate preparation to buy a share of the multi-billion shilling factories. We ask our governors to stand firm on this matter because sugar industry woes will affect millions of livelihoods in Nyanza and western regions,” said Okoth.
The government has been planning to sell 51 per cent of shares at five state-owned sugar companies to strategic investors and reserve another 24 per cent for farmers and employees as a move to revive the dormant companies and boost the countries production.
The sales of the five millers Muhoroni, Miwani, Chemelil, Nzoia and Sony Sugar prompted the government to form a privatisation commission to oversee the disposal activities as it races to meet the set deadline of August 2018.