Respect inter-county trade, Savula urges Bungoma leaders

Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula has urged Bungoma county to respect trade between the two counties for economic stability.

Savula said some leaders from Bungoma are harassing traders from West Kenya and Butali sugar companies, who are transporting raw materials to Kakamega.

“It is unfair for elected leaders to frustrate trade across counties over road maintenance, yet Kakamega has allowed Nzoia to use its roads to transport sugarcane,” he said.

He spoke at the funeral of Musa Wanyama in Mungakha village, Lwandeti ward.

Savula alleged that Tongareni MP John Chikati had closed down Butali Sugar Company offices in his constituency and threatened to burn the company's tractors for damaging the roads.

When contacted yesterday, Chikati denied closing Butali sugar offices, saying the company was operating normally.

"This is not true at all. All we want is  solution to the continuous destruction of our roads by the company," he said.

Savula said the two companies were paying Cess levy and co-operation is needed if the roads are bad.

“We shall not sit back and watch our neighbours sabotage our economy. We shall respond by closing down the Nzoia weighbridge in Navakholo to stop Nzoia Sugar from transporting cane from Kakamega if they burn our tractors,” he said.

“Cess levy is paid in Bungoma and Kakamega counties. An MP has no role in handling cess. Let him stick to the law. Actions by the MP amounts to sabotaging Kakamega county's the economy.”

On Saturday, governor Fernandes Barasa said that he will liase with Bungoma and Uasin Gishu counties to streamline cess collection and spur inter-county trade.

“We must respect inter-county transport as traders from Butali company, Kabras sugar and other firms in Kakamega and neighbouring counties move around in search of raw materials," he said.

"I am glad the County Aggregation and Industrial park in Likuyani will help harmonise our trading relations."

Barasa said he would seek a pact with neighbouring counties to ensure smooth inter-counties trade.

Cess is a levy paid by millers to county governments for maintenance of roads within the sugar belt.