What President William Ruto has done is good because the industry was on the verge of collapse.
These measures will save the industry because the Western politicians, or rather those from the sugar cane belt, have not been that serious about it.
In 2013, for example, I petitioned Parliament and retired President Uhuru Kenyatta to look into the issues affecting the sugar sector, which became very successful.
A report on the challenges facing the sugar sector in the country was drafted and was even adopted in Parliament.
After this, there was also a task force that was formed by Kenyatta and chaired by former Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya and former Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri that developed another report.
The reports are just gathering dust and no one is pushing to have both implemented. And you hear these leaders shouting left, right and centre about how they have intentions to save the industry, but nothing big.
For Ruto to step in, we can say he has come at the right time.
Mumias has been the backbone of Western farming, but it has not been operating so the step taken to order the investor to withdraw all the cases in court was a good step.
This is one person who has been hindering the operations of the factory.
But, recently there is a letter that Agriculture Food Authority released ordering all factories in Western Kenya to close down due to lack of raw materials and allowed only one to operate.
In the Oparanya task force, there was this issue of regional zoning whereby Western, for example, is split into two - the upper and lower.
The Lower Western is where you will find Mumias and Ole Pito.
For AFA to give one miller the authority to crush sugar cane is again an attempt to kill the sector because when others are not crushing, this one will interfere with the gains that have been made.
So, for Ruto to succeed, AFA as the regulator should come in and support what Ruto stands for.
This should be a collective responsibility where we should all rally behind the President if we are to succeed.
Media consultant spoke to the Star
