Sucre Ethique - Kenya : Farmers want Sugar board dissolved

The Standard - samedi 16 avril 2011

The Kenya Sugarcane Growers Association (Kesga) is demanding for the dissolution of the Kenya Sugar Board citing gross management decisions it has made to the detriment of farmers

As a result, the farmers now want agriculture minister Sally Kosgey to intervene immediately to salvage the industry from going under.

A statement sent to newsroom on Thursday by the farmers through Kesga Secretary General, Samuel Anyango, questioned the approval for disbursement of machinery grant of about Sh 110 million to Kibos Sugar factory even after the technical team objected to the plan.

†"The Kenya Sugar Board technical team had objected to the move and even recommended the same to them. Why did they overlook this and hurriedly approved the grant ?" read the statement in part.

†

In a terse message, the farmers have asked the minister to demand explanation and to take necessary actions to stop the board from making ‘misinformed decisions.’

†The statement accused the board of ‘suspect meetings’ with agenda ‘prejudicial to well management’ of board affairs without knowledge of the minister.

†"The board must now be dissolved because if given more time they may seriously damage this industry," read the statement.

†Last week, cane farmers from Kakamega County threatened to demonstrate if Minister Kosgei, fails to heed their call to dissolve the board.

†Drawn from Mumias, West Kenya and Busia sugar zones, the farmers said the board should be disbanded as its term has expired.

†They said by failing to dissolve KSB, the Government was violating the Sugar Act, which provides for three-year term of office for directors.

The cane growers umbrella body also questioned the hurried manner in which the board hurriedly approved the setting up of a new sugar factory in Pili Pili, Nzoia Zone, even before feasibility studies were conducted.

Farmers said after the approval of the construction of the company, the board has hurriedly constituted a committee to conduct feasibility studies.

"What we are asking is why the sugar board is always making hurried decisions that are detrimental to the farmers," said the statement.

In yet another concern, the farmers said till now, millers owe farmers about Sh 1.9 billion in form of underpayments yet no action has been taken by the board.

†"Action must be taken to enable the farmers to be paid what is rightfully theirs since there is a stalemate in the cane pricing committee," read the note in part.