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Nairobi — Former Kenya Sugar Board chairman Julius Nyarotso on Thursday took over as the chairman of Nzoia Sugar Company, amid disquiet by farmers over his appointment to the position.
Mr Nyarotso took over from former Cabinet minister, Mr Burudi Nabwera, at a ceremony attended by the company managing director, Mr Saul Wasilwa and workers union representatives.
Farmers representatives from Nzoia Outgrowers company (Noco) and Kenya Sugarcane Growers Association (Kesga) did not attend the function.
MPs from the region who have been opposed to the appointment of Mr Nyarotso were also conspicuously missing.
Farmers had planned to disrupt the hand over ceremony but the dates were not made public.
A fortnight ago, farmers led by Noco chairman, Mr Joash Wamang’oli, held demonstrations against the appointment and vowed to paralyse operations at the factory by stopping sugarcane delivery.
On Thursday, Mr Wamang’oli told the Nation that farmers will go ahead with their plan to stop delivering sugarcane.
He added that he had led a farmers delegation to visit President Kibaki, so that their grievances are listened to.
"If Nyarotso remains chairman. We are not going to support the factory," he said.
But speaking during the ceremony, Mr Nyarotso and Mr Nabwera used the occasion to appeal to farmers not to be incited into paralysing operations at the factory by stopping sugarcane delivery.
Mr Nyarotso said he was ready to work round the clock to ensure that the factory remains stable, despite the coming to an end of the Common Market for East and Southern Africa (Comesa) safeguard period.
"We have to find new marketing strategies to remain competitive," he said.
He added that he will champion farmers interests as the company undergoes privatisation later in the year.
Mr Nyarotso will be taking over a factory that is on the verge of collapse if sale of sugarcane by contracted farmers to private millers and jaggaries is not addressed.
Mr Wasilwa has in the past few weeks said there might not be any sugarcane to mill if the problem is not dealt with.
Mr Nyarotso said the factory had put in place measures which include setting up of an anti-poaching special security unit to deal with the problem.