- He said for the benefit of Mulembe nation, they will oppose that bill once tabled in the Senate.
- The lawmaker said the factory land is under the community and there is need for residents to be involved in the process.
Image: MARTIN OMBIMA
Two senators have said they will hold National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang'ula and Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi responsible if Mumias Sugar and its neighbouring Nzoia Sugar factories are sold.
Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi and his Nairobi counterpart Edwin Sifuna were speaking at St Paul’s ACK church in Luanda town Vihiga county during a fundraising for the completion of the church building.
On Tuesday, President William Ruto’s team in a Cabinet resolution backed the push to offload parastatals to private sector players.
“Our factories are currently being sold secretly without consulting Parliament and our brothers are there, we will not allow that no matter what the situation will be,” Osotsi said.
Image: MARTIN OMBIMA
“That well-orchestrated plot is aimed to benefit a few individuals at the expense of thousands of members of the community who rely on sugarcane production,” he added.
Osotsi cited the approval of Privatization Bill of 2023 which seeks to cut down the process of selling state-owned corporations without the approval of Parliament.
He said for the benefit of Mulembe nation, they will oppose that bill once tabled in the Senate.
The lawmaker said the factory land is under the community and there is need for residents to be involved in the process.
“What is happening in Mumias and Nzoia is the same thing that happened to Pan Paper Mills which was sold to a private individual at a throw away price. The buyers were only interested to get the land and the scrap metal instead of reviving it for the benefit of the residents."
Sifuna accused some top government officials from the region of failing to defend Mulembe nation and articulating issues affecting them.
He said Mudavadi, Wetang'ula, Ababu Namwamba (CS sports) and Susan Nakhumicha (CS health) have chosen to keep quiet in the cabinet.
“We have nothing to show when Mudavadi, Namwamba and Nakhumicha have chosen to keep quiet when their people get oppressed,” he said.
Sifuna challenged Wetangúla to resist any attempt to have the National Assembly pass that bill if presented on the floor of the House.
The lawmaker further challenged the Kenya Kwanza administration to stop sending goons to their demonstrations across the country.
He said the protests will go on until the high cost of living is solved.
“Once the cost of living in lowered we will end those demos immediately,” he said.
Sifuna blamed security agents in the country for failing to protect Kenyans but instead mistreating them.
The leaders who were also accompanied by Luanda MP Dick Maundu and Makadara MP George Aladwa reiterated that they will oppose any move to privatise the public sugar mills.
Osotsi also raised suspicion on the recent move to have First Lady Rachael Ruto adopt 200 acres of Kakamega Forest.
“They should tell us which law they used to do this when our people cannot have access to land or the means to get one,” he said.
First Lady Mama Rachael Ruto last week adopted 200 acres of Kakamega Forest for restoration in a move aimed at growing 500 million trees.
-Edited by SKanyara