Luhya elders: Stop using Mumias Sugar revival for cheap politics
The entrance to Mumias Sugar Company.
Elders in Kakamega County have warned politicians who use the revival of Mumias Sugar Company as a campaign tool every election cycle but do nothing about it after the polls.
They said the politicians used the collapsed plant only as a vote bait, returning every election cycle with new promises to resuscitate it.
The elders from the Butsotso and Wanga clans said politicians were making false promises about bringing Mumias Sugar back to life to win the support of thousands of voters who relied on sugarcane for their livelihoods.
Mr Shiroko Shirenje, the secretary of the Butsotso council of elders, said politicians forget about Mumias Sugar and the plight of sugarcane growers once they are elected.
The revival of the miller, once the lifeline of thousands of residents, is critical to the outcome of the August 9 elections in the region.
Talk about reviving it is meant to attract the votes of sugarcane farmers, who form a huge chunk of voters in Kakamega.
Politicians, including those seeking to become President and governor, have reignited the sugar politics with promises of resuscitating Mumias Sugar.
Kenya Kwanza presidential flag-bearer William Ruto said he would ensure that the ailing miller is revived if he is elected.
Similar promises were issued by Azimio presidential candidate Raila Odinga, who promised to increase job opportunities for the youth by reviving the factory.
Promises and more promises
Mr Fernandes Barasa, the Azimio governor candidate in Kakamega County, and his running mate Ayub Savula have also assured residents that they would revive the ailing factory.
Campaigning in Matungu on Tuesday, the DP said his focus was to help revive factories like Mumias and Nzoia to open up job opportunities and generate revenue in the Western region.
“My administration will inject Sh100 billion in job creation so that millions of the youth who are out of school can have jobs and sustain their livelihoods. Under this plan, we will move to resuscitate collapsed industries like Mumias and open up new ones,” he said.
He promised to pump Sh5 billion into jumpstarting the sugar miller, which has been dormant since 2018, within three months winning the presidency.
“The Kenya-Kwanza government will clear all the debts facing the Mumias Sugar Company in three months. We will also invest Sh5 billion to rejuvenate the sugar [sector] in the Western region,” he stated.
Mr Odinga, for his part, promised to reduce the poverty index in the Western Kenya by reactivating sugar factories to boost the region’s economy.
“We know that the economy of the Western region relies on sugar production and we shall ensure that all sugar factories within the region are functioning,” Mr Odinga said.
Mumias Sugar, which had more than 9,000 employees in its heyday, plunged into financial difficulties due to bad management. It lacked sufficient raw materials after farmers uprooted sugarcane from their farms due to poor returns from the crop.
“I talked to the investor who complained that Kenya Power … had declined to restore electricity to the firm. I have intervened and there is already smoke. Mumias will be back to life in two months,” the ODM leader said.
Mr Barasa said he would collaborate with international donors to turn around the fortunes of Mumias Sugar.
“The revival of Mumias is key in my manifesto. With assistance from friends and development partners like the Africa Development Bank, I assure farmers that Mumias will come back to life,” he said.
The elders accused both sides of the political divide of using the revival of Mumias as a bait to win support from farmers.
“My fear is that Mumias could be turned into the Pan Paper way, where smoke was seen during campaigns, giving false hopes to locals. Pan Paper ended up remaining a godown for imported sugar,” Mr Shirenje said.