•Murango said the committee will ensure the aspirations of the farmers are well factored in the final document.
•The Senate committee will make a very informed decision based on the presented memorandum and guidance of senators from cane growing areas.
Image: MAURICE ALAL
The Senate Committee on Agriculture has given cane farmers one week to present their memorandum on the Sugar Bill 2022 for consideration.
The committee chairman Murango Kamau said farmers should furnish them with proposals they want captured in the Bill.
Kamau, who spoke during the public participation on the Bill at Chemelil Club on Monday, said the committee will ensure the aspirations of the farmers are well factored in the final document.
The public participation brought together farmers from Kericho, Nandi and Kisumu counties
Murango accompanied by committee members Wamatinga Wahome (Nyeri), Murango Kamau (Kirinyaga), Beth Syengo (nominated) and Wakoli Wafula (Bungoma), the Bill went through the National Assembly and it was the Senate's turn to look at the document.
“As a committee, we will make sure the consideration of the people of farmers from this region is well taken care of in the Bill,” Murango said.
Kisumu Senator Tom Ojienda (host), Agriculture and Food Authority director Samuel Ong’ow and Kisumu county agriculture executive Kenneth Onyango were present.
Murango assured farmers that the Senate will make a very informed decision based on the presented memorandum and guidance of senators from cane growing areas.
“As of now there are farmers who want zoning and those who are opposed. The senate committee will consider all views because the report will be tabled on the floor of the Senate,” he said.
He assured farmers that they will expedite the bill to revamp the ailing industry.
He said President William Ruto is keen to assent to the Bill noting that the Senate is doing everything within its powers to hasten the process.
“I want to confirm to you, once we finish this public participation, within two weeks, we shall have passed this Bill and send it to the President to assent to it,” he said.
Ojienda acknowledged the concerns of farmers on cluster, zoning and representation which the committee will consider.
He said there must be a law that will serve farmers well in the long run taking into account the views of farmers from cane growing areas.
“Most of the farmers want the cluster changed while some want zoning with others opposing. The Senate will listen to all the proposals and we will eventually have a law that will be beneficial to farmers,” Prof Ojienda said.
He said farmers from Kisumu want zoning and cluster changes to ensure better representation.
They have opposed being clustered with farmers from Homa Bay, Migori and Narok. The farmers emphasised on the need to include a clause on zoning to prevent millers from harvesting cane they did not develop.
Muhoroni MP Onyango Koyoo urged the senate to expedite the passage of the Bill in consideration of proposals of farmers in the region.
Cane farmer Caleb Ochieng said the Bill has good fortunes for farmers and should be supported.
He said the Bill has a raft of measures aimed at revitalising the industry and modernising the machines.
Kenya national federation of sugarcane farmers’ secretary general Killion Osur supported zoning within their catchment area. “We are only supporting the free market within our catchment areas,” he said.
“Once the Bill is passed into law, we are going to see a lot of changes in our factories, why then should we have a free market for cane, we need zoning to confine millers into their jurisdictions.”
Majority of farmers from Kisumu, Nandi and Kericho counties supported the proposal to have sugar-belts delineated into zones and clusters.
They argued that the move will provide a pragmatic management of their affairs. But some pushed for continuation of free market policy.
In the Sugar Bill 2022, delineation of sugarcane catchment areas includes; Kericho, Nandi and Uasin Gishu (Rift region), Bungoma and Trans Nzoia (Upper Western), Busia, Kakamega, Siaya and Vihiga (Lower Western) and Homa Bay, Kisumu, Migori and Narok (Southern region).
Chemelil Sugar Factory acting managing director Jacqueline Kotonya supported zoning and clusters (Central region).
The central region should include Kisumu, Nandi and Kericho counties.
Kotonya said within the Nyando sugar-belt the existing factories have sufficient cane to serve them to full capacity.
“I am supporting zoning, we have around six millers in this zone, we will harvest cane within us and there is enough for all of us,” she said.
They include Chemelil, Kibos, Miwani, Muhoroni, West Valley and Soin.
Ong’ow said the central region in the Sugar Task report of 2019 should have two directors to represent Luo and Kalenjin farmers.
The Bill is seeking to establish a sugar board to solely manage sugar affairs in the country as opposed to generalising the sugar sub sector under AFA.
Farmers told the Senate Committee to borrow heavily from the report prepared by former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri in 2019.
The Bill is also proposing the establishment of a Sugar Arbitration Tribunal for the purpose of arbitrating disputes and will be headed by a person qualified to be a High Court Judge.
It also has the component of the establishment of Kenya Sugar Research Training Institute to regulate research work in the sector.
The farmers also pushed for the introduction of the cane payment formula to ensure they are paid based on the sucrose content.
Image: MAURICE ALAL