LEADERS from Kakamega county have urged the government to dissolve Mumias Sugar Company board of directors to restructure the firm.
Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and MPs Ben Washiali (Mumias East), Emmanuel Wangwe (Navakholo) and Benard Shinali (Ikolomani) said the board is responsible for problems at Mumias.
They spoke at Emakhwale village during the burial of a teacher, Raphael Anguche, on Saturday.
Washiali said some of the board members worked with former managers who are alleged to have mismanaged the firm and harassed sugarcane farmers.
“They introduced and promoted glaring theft and corruption in the company at the expense of sugarcane farmers, who have been subjected to abject poverty yet they are producing a lot of sugarcane,” he said.
Washiali asked all MPs from Western region to work with the government to call a special general meeting to dissolve the board.
“If this board is replaced, the national government is ready to give Sh500 million to Mumias to settle farmers’ payments. And the president is further willing to grant Sh2.3 billion to revive the company only if new officials are in place,” he said.
Oparanya said the current board of directors must be removed fo Mumias Sugar to be assisted.
“They know how to loot and giving Mumias more money is enriching the same people who put the firm on its knees,” he said.
Oparanya said he met Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei and agreed that the state and county government will help revive Mumias.
The company last week advertised for management positions as a measure to restructure the company’s operations.
But Wangwe wants all workers to re-apply for their jobs which shall have the salary reduced by half.
He called for reduction of the workforce at the company to reduce the firm’s wage bill.