Western leaders have called for the revival of sugar mills to revive the region’s economy. Speaking at the burial ceremony of the late Justus Murunga, in Makunda primary school, Matungu, Kakamega County, leaders led by Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala said the sugar industries should be revived before 2022.
Deputy President William Ruto said the national government will give its shares in the sugar mills to the Kakamega and Bungoma Counties, “We will give the Counties the shares for free,” he affirmed, adding that the County governments will also have a say on the companies leasing proposals. Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala said the revival of companies should be done by 2022, “We want a solution before 2022. I know there are many presidential aspirants for Kenya, but for Western residents the scorecard we’ll use is the revival of Mumias sugar,” said Malala.
On his part, Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula said the government only has one financial year to set things right, “You have one budget to go, please put some money aside to revive Mumias to save the economy of our people, put some money in Nzoia…” He said that leaders in the region won’t accept an investor they don’t know to lease the sugar companies.
However, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya said there is already a plan to revive Mumias Sugar Company already being implemented. Several leaders attended the funeral, including Deputy President William Ruto, ODM leader Raila Odinga, Senate Speaker Ken Lusaka, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, Senators Cleophas Malala, Moses Wetangula among others.