• Koyoo said the board to be constituted will help streamline the operations at the company.
• The company lost Sh20 million because of the strike by the workers.
Image: MAURICE ALAL
The troubled government-owned Chemelil Sugar Company will get a new board and managing director, Muhoroni MP Onyango Koyoo has said.
He said the board to be constituted will help streamline operations at the company.
Last week, the company lost Sh20 million after workers went on strike over salary arrears. The strike started on Monday and ended on Wednesday.
Koyoo said the government has resolved to bring in fresh leadership to manage the factory.
He said President Uhuru Kenyatta has issued a directive to the ministries of Agriculture and Treasury to release funds to pay farmers their arrears.
The government plans to lease Chemelil, Muhoroni, Nzoia and South Nyanza sugar companies.
Koyoo, who spoke at Pawteng Primary School in Masogo/Nyang’oma ward when he disbursed bursary, said the government has released funds for maintenance of the mills to make them more vibrant as they wait for the leasing process.
“We want farmers and workers to be paid promptly and work in a conducive environment,” Koyoo said. He told off politicians who are politicising leasing of factories, accusing them of selfish interests.
Chemelil managing director Gabriel Nyangweso said on Wednesday the factory mills 1,500 tonnes of sugar every day, translating to Sh10 million. "Each day we don't mill, we lose about Sh10 million," he said.
He said the effects of the strike has huge ramifications not only to the management and transporters but also to the farmers.
Nyangweso said some farmers had already harvested cane waiting to be delivered to the factory for crushing. "Transporters too are losing since they are paid on tonnage delivered," Nyangweso said.
He said the strike was against a directive issued by the Ministry of Agriculture that outlined a number of measures aimed at revitalising the firm.
On Tuesday, 29 people were arrested following a stand-off over the control and management of a state-owned sugar mill.
A section of workers tried to deny Nyangweso access to the mill, claiming he had been sent on compulsory leave.
Chemelil OCPD David Muneo said Chemelil branch Kenya Union of Sugar Plantation and Allied Workers secretary Jack Osida and other workers who were rioting were apprehended and taken to the police station.
He said they will be presented in court and charged.
“The charges include damage to property, creating disturbance and probably incitement,” Muneo said.
Agriculture CAS Ann Nyaga condemned the incident, terming it "unfortunate."
“We expected calm, and that the machines would not be interfered with but that is not what we are getting from the union”.
She said people can have disagreements but there are ways to go about them.
“Those are illegal actions. There are ways of expressing grievances in different manners,” Nyaga said.
A series of meetings have been held between the management of the company and the Kenya Union of Sugar Plantation and Allied Workers since December 22 last year.
On January 19, a resolution was made for the company to adhere to and communicate to all the workers during a meeting of the interim management committee, representatives of the union, company management and AFA-Sugar Directorate.
Edited by A.N