The managers who ran down Mumias Sugar Company should be arrested and prosecuted, Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has said.
He said only sacking the managers is not enough punishment as farmers are suffering.
“Mumias Sugar is in deep trouble and this started with past managers at the firm and it is known. They must be made to take responsibility for their actions,” Oparanya told the Star in his office on Friday.
He said that even some political leaders from Kakamega county were part of the financial mess at the sugar firm.
Oparanya said Kakamega county assembly passed a motion to give the company Sh200 million to help it pay some of the cane farmers it owed money.
He blamed the government for the problems facing the company, saying the state is unable to stop importation of cheap sugar.
Oparanya said he will share with stakeholders the findings by a task force he appointed in March last year to look into problems facing the sugar industry.
The report recommends implementing the Kakamega Sugar Act that will create a county sugar board to regulate, develop and promote the industry.
The board will be responsible for establishing and co-ordinating various committees that include County Sugar Pricing Committee and Dispute Resolution Tribunal.
The board will create statutory guidelines for registration and licensing, management and oversight of various institutions and develop and gazette guidelines growing sugarcane, processing procedures and registration and licensing of millers, jageries and farmers’ advocacy bodies.
