Agriculture CS, Willy Bett. [Photo/nation.co.ke]
Sugarcane farmers have taken the government to court over the removal of a levy which the state said was a heavy burden to them (farmers).
The farmers contend that the levy has been taken into the Sugar Development Fund that is used to bail out the cane farmers.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett has been bitterly accused by the farmers of playing politics by engaging in an illegality.
They say they don't believe that the CS is sincere in his promise to have the levy reinstated, the reason why they are seeking the intervention of courts.
The case was filed in the Nairobi High Court by the Kenya Sugarcane Farmers Union(Kensfu).
The Attorney General Githu Muigai and Agriculture and Food Authority have been listed as respondents.
11 County governments and importers have also been listed but as interested parties.
CS Rotich justified the scrapping of the levy saying that it was aimed at unifying the sugar sector with the coffee and tea sector.