•Sugarcane farmers in Chemelil, Kisumu county are owed Sh210million in arrears
•Bonyo accused the 16-member committee of disobeying Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri’s directive to stop engagements until the arrears are cleared.
Image: MONICAH MWANGI
Sugarcane farmers in Chemelil, Kisumu, have demanded Sh210 million the Chemelil Sugar Company owes them in arrears.
They accuse the government of sidelining them in payments. Chemelil Outgrowers Company chairman Samuel Bonyo said they have not been paid but farmers from other areas have been paid.
He said Muhoroni, Sony, Mumias and Nzoia farmers have been paid.
Bonyo accused the sugar task force formed under the directive of President Uhuru Kenyatta of disobeying Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri’s orders stopping engagement until the arrears are paid.
“We were the least owed compared to farmers from other regions. We are wondering why we’ve not been paid,” he said.
The miller owes Chemelil Farmer Society Sh74.5 million. Farmers who delivered cane on their own to Chemelil are owed Sh89.4 million. Private farmers and transporters are owed Sh5.8 million and Sh25.8 million respectively.
On Wednesday, the farmers walked out of the sugar task force meeting meant to deliberate sugarcane growing policy, protesting delayed payments. They vowed to boycott the engagement with the task force until they are paid.
The protests in Chemelil have forced the head of Sugar Directorate Solomon Odera to suspend the meeting indefinitely.
Odera urged the growers to allow the government to clear the outstanding Sh808 million arrears.
He said the money will be factored in the supplementary budget to be tabled in Parliament.
DISCRIMINATION
Odera told farmers to allow the engagement to run concurrently to enable the task force to meet the deadline.
But Bonyo took issue with the government’s stand, citing discrimination.
“Why is it that we are being told to wait for the supplementary budget, yet others are being paid? Are farmers from other regions more special than us?” Bonyo asked.
Odera assured the farmers they have not been discriminated. He said the government is releasing the money, based on the national Treasury’s audit report.
Kenya Sugarcane Growers Association secretary general Richard Ogendo urged the government to urgently settle the debts.
Muhoroni MP Onyango K'Oyoo, whose constituency hosts Chemelil, Miwani, and Muhoroni mills, urged Kiunjuri to intervene.
K'Oyoo said the government should promptly pay farmers all their arrears. “They have suffered for long, yet they are the key stakeholders in the sugar sector,” he said.
Sony Sugar Company MD Bernard Otieno said farmers in Chemelil risk losing an opportunity to present their views to streamline the sugar industry.
“It would be important for them to have their views included in the final task force report, which is to be presented to President Uhuru Kenyatta,” he said.