Agriculture CS disbands boards of state-owned sugar factories

NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 7-Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Peter Munya has disbanded boards of state-owned sugar factories that are now lined up for leasing processes to hand over management to private entities.

In a gazette notice dated 3^rd August and seen by the media, the CS has revoked the appointments of all the members of the boards with effect from 16^th July 2020.

The affected mills include Nzoia sugar mills based in Western, Chemelil sugar-based in Nyando and Sony sugar-based in Migori County.

However, the notice did not touch on the fate of Muhoroni/Miwani mill which is under receivership and does not have any existing board.

The move by the CS has been welcomed by sugarcane stakeholders in the region led by Secretary-General of Kenya Sugarcane Growers Association Richard Ogendo.

Ogendo says they are happy the CS made the move which farmers have been asking given that most farmers have often raised issues with the composition of such board members.

Ogendo says they are fully behind the leasing process of the mills given that the government had this week kicked off the process of identifying prospective bidders for the five mills.