Busia sugar firm ordered to start work

The disagreement between West Kenya and Busia sugar companies is expected to come to an end after Deputy President William Ruto directed the latter to start operations.

The two mills are located barely 10km apart. Busia Sugar is based at Busibwabo in Matayos while West Kenya is located at Olepito in Teso South constituency.

The companies have been embroiled in a legal battle that has seen the Sh5 billion Busia Sugar factory delay to start crushing cane.

Mr Ruto inspected the factory on Saturday and attributed its predicament to corruption and impunity among some investors.

“I want to warn the people who believe in corruption and impunity that their days are numbered. It is not possible that over Sh5 billion has been used to put up the factory then, because of corruption, the factory is taken in circles, resulting to delay in becoming operational,” said Ruto.

Corruption and impunity

He directed the Cabinet secretary for Agriculture, Mwangi Kiunjuri, to award Busia Sugar a licence with immediate effect.

“The factory is at the heart of the Jubilee manifesto on manufacturing and value addition. As a government, corruption and impunity shall have no place in management of public affairs in Kenya,” he said.

The deputy president said the Government would not sit back and watch as 18,000 farmers contracted by Busia Sugar continue to suffer and more than 1,500 people expected to be employed by the factory are denied the opportunity.

Ibrahim Juma, a farmer, yesterday said he was happy the long wait had ended. “We have suffered a lot and waited for the opening of the factory for long, but finally the Government has come to our rescue,” said Mr Juma.

He said Busia farmers delivered cane to Mumias Sugar Company almost two years ago but had yet to be paid.