Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett alongside Nandi Governor Stephen Sang during meeting on proposed privatisation of sugar factories in the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) in Kisumu, January 19, 2018. [Photo|Stephen Sang]Nandi Governor Stephen Sang has called for stakeholder consultation at the grassroot and factory level on issues of privatisation of sugar factories in the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB).He said the sugar industry supports the livelihoods of a huge number of residents in Nandi and that the government should not privatize the factories without extensive consultations.Sang was speaking during a privatization stakeholders' meeting at the Royal Swiss Hotel in Kisumu, which was attended by Lake Region governors, national and county government officials, as well as other stakeholders, particularly the farmers."In order to address their interests, sugarcane farmers should be actively involved in the deliberations in regards to sale of sate-owned millers," said the governor on Friday at a Kisumu Hotel.During the forum, Kisumu Governor Prof Anyang' Nyong'o who was represented by his Deputy Dr Ochieng' Owili strongly rejected the move by the National Government to privatize sugar companies in the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB).He said he will not support any privatization that isolates the farmers and fall short of addressing pertinent issues affecting the sugar industry."Any proposal of privatization must prioritize the interest of farmers and the community surrounding the firms," he said.Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett led the meeting.

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