The parliamentary select committee on agriculture has disclosed that Mumias Sugar Company shouldn’t receive any more funds for its revival unless they present their books of accounts to the committee.
Addressing the press in Kakamega during a tour of the sugar zone area, the committee expressed their disappointment with sugar millers for not being able to fully settle all the money they owe farmers in the region.
The committee chair Hon. Justus Kemei wondered why Mumias Sugar Co. still owes farmers more than Kshs. 700 million even after initiatives by both the national and county government to bail them out by giving them a substantial amount of money.
Kemei says that Mumias sugar company management has not been able to explain to AFFA how they utilized the billions of shillings given to them by both the national and county government of Kakamega in an effort to help them clear the farmers’ debts and run the company, explaining that the company’s working environment is still poor and farmer’s debts are still high.
He said that they do not see the need of adding more resources to the company unless they give a detailed report on how the previous funds were utilized, which should be to the interest of the farmers.
Mumias East member of parliament who is also a member of the committee Hon. Ben Washiali stated that it is unacceptable for Mumias sugar company’s management to hold farmers at ransom by not paying them promptly even after their steady supply of cane to the miller.
Washiali said that the county government of Kakamega should not give more funds to the company without a good explanation of how the previous funds were utilized.
The committee on agriculture will be in the region to establish whether sugar farming is still beneficial to farmers in the region.