Mumias Sugar and MCAs trade blame over Ruto directive

A section of local leaders have accused the management of the Mumias Sugar Company of frustrating President William Ruto’s directive for the revival and running of a distillery and electricity generation plants.

They also want the investor, Sarbjit Singh Rai (Sarrai), to be held responsible.

The miller under receivership had allowed Jaswant Singh Rai to run the distillery and co-gen plants. However, a letter dated Monday indicates that the decision had been withdrawn.

Jaswant, the owner of the West Kenya Sugar Company, and Sarbi Singh Rai — who manages the miller — are at odds over the running of the two plants.

A statement by 40 MCAs claimed that the management of the miller was on a mission to frustrate the push by the government to revive the distillery.

They linked protests that were witnessed last week against the move to the management of the company.

“The President is a symbol of national unity. We are here to call out the management of Mumias Sugar for being behind the demonstrations that were held inside the premises against the order of the President thus showing the Head of State disrespect,” they said.

“We want Rai to go to Mumias Sugar, revive the two plants, and create job opportunities because there are not enough jobs in Kenya, and yet multi-billion projects are lying idle in Mumias,” said Deputy Speaker Bernard Shitiabayi.

However, the company dismissed the allegations of sponsoring the protest against West Kenya Sugar Company to run the two plants.

“The leaders who led their people in demonstrating did so because it is their people speaking and they elected their leaders to represent them. As a company we can’t get into the politics, ours is to ensure the welfare of our farmers is well taken care of and we develop cane for the running of the factory. And why should the receiver manager revokes the earlier access granted to West Kenya to the two plants if they are the owners?” said Head of Operations Stephen Kihumba. 

He said the focus of the investor is to fully revive the miller and ensure the 27,000 farmers registered under the company do not suffer like before.

However, in a letter dated February 3, the company revoked the letter it wrote on January 23 granting West Kenya Sugar Company access to the two plants.

“The above letter and all other communication relating to your access stand revoked and the access is withdrawn with immediate effect. We request for immediate withdrawal of your staff and security from the plant.”

In his recent tour of Western, the President ordered the revival of the plants in three months.

However, a section of leaders in support of the Mumias Sugar investor led by Governor Fernandes Barasa have opposed the revival of the two plants.

Last week, some MCAs led farmers in demonstrations to protest against the move by West Kenya to revive the plants, claiming it was a plan to sabotage the revival plans by Mumias.

The leaders and farmers threatened to stop supplying raw materials to the factory.