Silence is the unwritten code of business at Mumias Sugar. When you come across massive looting, nyamaza.
If you disobey the code, you are either sacked, silenced by the gun or barred through court order when lucky.
In select cases juju is applied.
In 2012 Shibale Angluican church priest Reverend Benson Nandwa Makokha, 45, was murdered in his house as he prepared summon notes for his flock the next day.
He had become bold in decrying massive looting of the company and blamed politicians who made it a habit to pass by the company for handouts or else, they badmouth the company’s management.
“His death affected me. I spoke out but received warnings until I took a two-year refuge in Tanzania. To date, I must admit I am still traumatised for merely addressing misdeeds at the sugar mill,” Mumias Bishop Beneah Salalah tells The Nairobian on phone, “I am still not comfortable speaking about Mumias Sugar.”
Gabriel Atoko, a former finace director of Mumias Outgrowers Company (MOCO), died in October 2015 at his Matungu home of an unknown ailment just days before he stood in court to testify on Mumias Sugar’s near-collapse.
Atoko and one Basil Misango were witnesses in a case where a former MD of the company sued Boni Khalwale for defamation. The wordings in Khalwale’s utterances revolved on collapse of Mumias Sugar.
Basil Misango, a former MOCO chairman died last November after being stung by bees in his Eshisiru home. Luhya culture holds hat bees don’t just kill, they are sent to kill.