Cane farmers now want the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) to investigate the recent importation of sugar that has been done by the Sugar Directorate.
The Sugar Directorate Acting Director Rosemary Mkok had said the directorate has approved 21 firms to import 89,100 tonnes of brown or mill white sugar.
She says the sugar is expected to be shipped in the next three months and will be imported from Uganda (37,600 tonnes), Zambia (24,500 tonnes), Madagascar (25,000 tonnes) and Egypt (2,000 tonnes).
But, the cane farmers led by Secretary General of Kenya Sugarcane Growers Association ( KESGA) Richard Ogendo have termed the impending importation as illegal and wants EACC to probe the process.
Ogendo says the government is flooding the local market with imports when there is enough stock locally.
Speaking in Kisumu on Tuesday, Ogendo says the sugar imports are killing the industry adding that farmers are unable to get good price for their cane.
“The Directorate is making unilateral decisions without consulting farmers yet it is the farmers who will be impacted negatively by the importation,” he said.
Four sugar factories namely Mumias Sugar Company (MSC), West Kenya, Kibos and Soin sugar firms have been closed for maintenance leading to decline in production.
The remaining seven operational factories consisting of Chemelil, Sony Sugar, Nzoia Sugar, Butali, Transmara, Sukari and Muhoroni Sugar have on average not exceeded 1,500 tonnes daily in the last two weeks.