Nzoia Sugar appoints Ezron Kotut new acting Managing Director

Nzoia Sugar Company has appointed Certified public accountant (CPA) Ezron Kotut as the new acting managing director.

Kotut takes over from Dr Chrispine Omondi who has been in an acting capacity from 1st September 2021 to 1st May 2023.

Speaking to the press on Friday at the company premises, the company's board chairperson Alfred Khang'ati expressed confidence in Kotut saying he is qualified and up to the task of running the sugar mill.

“I’m very happy because the firm has now hired a substantive managing director who has a vast experience in the sugar sector, I believe he will steer Nzoia to greater levels,” Khang’ati affirmed.

The company chairman, however, called upon stakeholders to fully support the new acting managing director as he serves in his new appointment.

Kotut holds an MBA in Finance from Moi University and a Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration from the Management University of Africa.

According to Khang'ati, the new acting MD has a vast work experience of over 25 years, 13 of which he worked in the sugar industry in a senior management position.

He however thanked the exciting MD Chrispine for the time he served at the company.

"We sincerely thank Dr Chrispine for the role he played in the company's revival journey during his tenure," said Khang'ati.

Khang’ati lauded the head of state for agreeing with the Western leaders saying no to the privatization of the sugar firm.

In many years, Khang’ati said several MDs have served Nzoia in an acting capacity noting that next week he will have a meeting with other board members to discuss how long Kotut will serve.

Following the recent review of sugarcane prices by the private factories within the region, Nzoia has now revised its prices from Sh4,500 per tonne to Sh5,200 as a way of retaining a steady supply of cane by farmers.

“In the recent past, we have lost farmers who have opted to take their cane to our competitors in the private sector considering they were paying a huge amount than us here, that is why we have increased the prices to make them stick with us,” he said.

On his part, Kotut said he has had a candid meeting with the board chair on how the sugar production at the company can be increased citing soil testing, change of sugar cane varieties and revamping of the nuclear estate that has been left idle for a long time.

“The company’s nuclear estate is a very huge resource spanning 3,600 hectares and it is able to provide 20 percent of the company’s requirements for raw materials if well utilized,” he said.

Kotut, who has served the company in the finance docket, lauded the board and the Ministry of Agriculture for appointing him to serve as the managing director.

Kotut pointed out that the company has invested 280 million in an out-of-crop maintenance program conducted recently which has improved factory efficiency.