Kibos Sugar Company could be on its way to shutting down operations if a quicker action won't be taken to relocate Kibos Special Needs Education centre to another area.
The closure of the company's announcement came from the Education CS Professor George Magoha. In his statement, Magoha has lamented how special needs' pupils have been suffering due to exposure to environmental hazards posed by the factory which is like 20 metres away from the school.
Reports by environmentalists and locals have revealed how the plant is emitting toxic substances into the air, which in turn are affecting the albinism and blind pupils in the only education centre in Western Kenya.
During his Saturday visit to Chemelil Academy in Kisumu, the CS noted how urgent it was required for the Education Ministry, Kisumu County government and the area MPs to identify a lasting solution to the problem.
"A school cannot be moved into a bush. If the company is unable to build learners a school within the town, then I will direct that the company shuts down its operations," said Prof Magoha.
The CS also added, "it is a shame about our suffering kids, yet we cannot do anything. I am representing the interest of the learners."
A report by the National Assembly Education Committee containing the recommendations and findings of the company are yet to be released.
This is after a public petition had been presented by an activist Boniface Akach of Kondele Community Social Justice Centre, accusing the plant of its failure to comply with environmental regulations.
Founded in 1999, the firm was accused of not only causing air and environmental pollution, sound pollution too in addition to putting the safety of the special need learners at stake.
The miller had reportedly offered a piece of land to build a new centre and also help in transportation during the relocation exercise before the offer was turned down by the school's management board.
The board claimed that the offered land was snake-infested, in addition to being far from the available health facilities. The matter is already said to be building tension between the locals and the Sugar Company at the centre of interest.