Sugarcane farmers have welcomed the proposed re-introduction of postition of director to represent the interest of farmers in the Sugar Directorate. In the past, the Sugar industry was regulated by the defunct Kenya Sugar Board, (KSB), which was disbanded almost 10 years ago.

It is now being brought back through Parliament in the Sugar Bill, 2022, and is pending before the Senate, awaiting House approval. If legislated, the new Bill would see cane farmers elect directors to the Sugar Directorate from all sugar growing regions. The Sugar Board will manage sugar affairs in the country.

But the farmers are against the new amendment that clusters sugar factories in catchment areas as contained in the Sugar Bill.

In the proposals amended by MPs, the Bill clusters 10 mills to produce only a single director. This has elicited protests from cane farmers who claimed that though the Bill was good, that particular proposal is outrageous and impractical.

The Bill, for instance, identifies Central and Southern Nyanza regions as one, while isolating North Rift separately.

Kenya Sugarcane Federation Secretary General Killion Osur argues that Southern Nyanza and Central Nyanza should be separated. “Central Nyanza has six mills. Chemelil, Muhoroni, Miwani, Kibos, West Valley and Soin. It should be split into two,’’ he said.

If implemented, the move would ensure at least one post of director slotted for the West Valley and Soin farmers in Nandi and Kericho counties.

“So, we would have one Kalenjin and Luo director, in central catchment area,’’ he explained. The law requires that every three mills should have one director. It means if Southern Nyanza is paired with Central, it won’t work. Southern Nyanza has Sony sugar, Ndhiwa, Trans-Mara and an upcoming one in Kisii. There are four mills now. They should have one director.

But the current Sugar Bill proposes that both Southern Nyanza and Central Nyanza be clustered together. “How do you expect a farmer to campaign for Directorate post running from Trans-Mara in Narok County, traversing Migori, Kisii, Homa Bay up to Muhoroni in Kisumu County?” Osur posed.

He termed the proposal financially illogical and blamed the MPs for overlooking the financial implications of their decisions made. “The proposal for clustering 10 sugar factories into one cluster is completely and openly outrageous,” he claimed.

The farmers’ representatives argued that even the posts of the directors were a mean number and it limits the grower’s representation.

“We should have revisited the law to allow at least two factories to produce one director,’’ said Charles Rono, a farmer from Soin. The farmers told the Senate Standing Committee on Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries to urgently review the controversial clause. The Committee chaired by Kirinyaga Senator James Murango is currently hearing farmers’ views on the Bill.

“We want the clause reviewed before the Sugar Bill is passed and assented into law by the President,” Rono told the Senators.

Thousands of farmers backed his call during the Senate public hearing of farmers’ views on the proposed Bill at Chemelil in Kisumu County yesterday.

Murango assured cane farmers of their commitment to fast-track the passing of Sugar Bill 2022 to revamp the struggling industry. “I want to assure you, once we finish this public participation, within two weeks, we will pass this Bill,’’ he said.

Chairman of Chemelil farmers zone, Caleb Ochieng supported legislation of the Bill to revive the industry and allow the state to commercialise it.