ODM Party leader Raila Odinga and Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Festus Mwangi Kiunjuri on Monday led a key stakeholders meeting to chart a proper way forward for the sugar industry in the country.
The issue of privatisation of public sugar mills dominated the discussions. Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, his Nandi Counterpart Stephen Sang and Okoth Obado of Migori are among political leaders who attended the meeting at the Grand Royal Swiss Hotel, in Kisumu.
After deliberations, the leaders came up with eight resolutions as follows:
1. The Privatization Commission identifies strategic partners in the next 120 days
2. County Governments represent the interests of farmers in matters of Privatisation
3. A special Committee be set up by the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock Fisheries and Irrigation to come up with a revival strategy for the revitalization of Mumias Sugar Company
4. The Sugar Industry Taskforce to complete its work within the next 14 days
5. The remaining Sh808 million owed to farmers be captured in the supplementary budget
6. The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Irrigation to provide leadership in bringing together the relevant government departments and agencies to address the financial requirements of the Public Sugar Companies, particularly debt write off.
7. The Sugar Act be reinstated to provide for independent sugar regulatory body and sugar resource body
8. That the Sugar Regulations be gazetted to provide a conducive business environment for the sugar sector
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