Githunguri MP Gathoni wa Muchomba has lashed out at President William Ruto over his recent launch of a sugarcane bonus program in Mumias.

Taking to her X account on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, the legislator took the president to task, questioning whether the bonus initiative was a lifeline extended to all sugar companies in Western Kenya or merely a golden ticket reserved for Mumias alone.

Wamuchomba’s critique did not stop there. She dug deeper, poking holes in the initiative’s authenticity, declaring it was not a government-endorsed project.

She noted that as an elected representative, she could not recall a single parliamentary session where funds for sugar bonuses were discussed, let alone approved.

“Hi guys, I don’t know much about sugar farming. But I saw a bonus launch for Mumias sugar farmers. Was it a government Initiative.? So will all other sugar companies in western Kenya get it and when? I don’t remember passing any bonus funds in parliamentary budgets,” she said.

Though she confessed her limited grasp of sugar farming, Wamuchomba made it clear her curiosity had been piqued by the grandiose launch.

She also drew attention to a lingering promise made by the president—that debts strangling both the coffee and sugar sectors would be wiped clean. According to her, while the sugar sector may have seen some movement, coffee farmers remain shackled by unfulfilled pledges.

“All I recall is that the president vowed to clear all debts tied to coffee and sugar factories. But for coffee farmers, the promise remains just that—a promise!” she added.

Regionalism

Wamuchomba has also accused the government of abandoning its much-touted bottom-up economic model in favor of what she termed regionalism, a shift she said was cloaked in the guise of unity.

“Anyway, I hear it’s no longer about Bottom-Up; it’s now called Regionalism—all this while we preach unity for ALL Kenyans,” she quipped.

Hi guys I don’t know much about sugar farming . But I saw a bonus launch for Mumias sugar farmers. Was it a government Initiative.?
So will all other sugar companies in western Kenya get it and
When? I don’t remember passing any bonus funds in parliamentary budgets.
All I…

— Hon.Gathoni Wamuchomba, HSC, MP (@hon_wamuchomba) January 21, 2025

Sugar bonus unveiled

On Monday, January 20, 2025, President William Ruto visited Mumias, where he unveiled a Ksh150 million sugar bonus for farmers supplying cane to Kakamega’s Mumias Sugar Factory.

The head of state, while speaking to the farmers, framed the initiative as a milestone and said the bonus was a testament to the success of reforms sweeping through the sugar sector.

He painted a vision of hope, saying the program not only promised brighter days for farmers but also bolstered livelihoods on an unprecedented scale.

“With a record 832,000 tonnes of sugar produced last year, Kenya is steering towards surplus production. By 2026, we’ll be exporting regionally, transforming sugarcane cultivation into a thriving, lucrative venture,” Ruto proclaimed.

During the launch, the president also highlighted that various strides had been made in reviving the struggling sugar industry. He mentioned the cancellation of Ksh117 billion in debts, the settlement of Ksh1.7 billion in farmers’ arrears, and the payment of Ksh650 million owed to employees as part of a broader revival strategy.

He touted that he had enacted the Sugar Act 2024 in tandem with the recommendations of the 2019 Sugar Taskforce. The law introduces sugarcane catchment areas aimed at harmonizing supply, synchronizing milling operations, and boosting efficiency—a blueprint for what he hopes will be a new era of prosperity in the sector.