Homa Bay Town MP Peter Kaluma has urged President William Ruto to ignore political distractions and remain focused on reviving Kenya’s sugar sector through long-overdue reforms.

Kaluma praised the government’s decision to lease out state-owned sugar factories to private investors, saying it will finally offer relief to farmers who have suffered for decades.

In a statement shared via his X account on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, Kaluma said sugarcane farming in Kenya has become a poverty trap for many farmers, particularly in the Nyanza and Western regions, due to years of neglect and empty political promises.

He applauded President Ruto’s administration for stepping in with reforms aimed at restoring the profitability of the industry, including the leasing of key sugar factories.

Kaluma congratulated the president and encouraged him to remain firm in the face of political criticism.

“As it currently stands in Kenya, sugarcane is a poverty crop, and sugarcane farming is a direct visa to poverty. The revival of sugarcane factories and productivity has become the dominant political slogan in Nyanza and Western Kenya for far too long, building political careers while farmers are pushed deep into poverty and destitution,” Kaluma stated.

Adding;

“The ongoing sugar sector reforms, including the leasing of the sugar factories, are necessary to return the sector to profit. Congratulations, President@WilliamsRuto, for the timely intervention of your administration to return sugarcane farming to profit.”

“Be bold and shut your ears to the politicians. They have built a career croaking themselves hoarse about supporting the sector while doing nothing as our hardworking farmers are pushed to destitution,” the MP advised.

Jobs lost

Kaluma’s comments came a day after President Ruto and Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe revoked the appointments of board chairs and members of four state-owned sugar companies.

In a Gazette Notice dated May 12, 2025, the government announced that the board members had been dismissed following the leasing of the sugar factories to private companies. Since the factories were no longer under state control, the board positions were declared vacant.

Among those affected were Eng. John Nyambok, Chairperson of Chemelil Sugar Company; Alfred Khang’ati of Nzoia Sugar Company; and Jared Odhiambo Opiyo of South Nyanza (Sony) Sugar Company. UDA official Silas Jakakimba was also removed from the Sony Sugar board alongside Mary Akoth Were, Laura Abishag Matiko, Catherine Wangamati, Kipkoech Kirui, John Billy Momanyi, and Douglas Kailanya.

Other affected board members from Chemelil Sugar Company included Samwel Ogola Bonyo, Mary Simat, Henry Ntongai Mitu, David Kiplagat Kitur, Enricah Apiyo Dulo, and John Kipyegon Chesiror.

From Nzoia Sugar Company, Elizabeth Mudukiza Iminza, Patrice Chumba, Millicent Anyango Abudho, Benson Madebe Chahasi, Caroline Chematui Temoi, Bonface Okhiya Otsiula, and Okwakau Ino Jonathan also had their appointments revoked.

Leasing

The shake-up followed the government’s official conclusion of the leasing of the four factories on May 10, 2025. Kagwe announced that four private companies had been competitively selected to manage the sugar mills under 30-year lease agreements.

Under the new arrangement, West Kenya Sugar Company took over operations at Nzoia Sugar Company, while Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries Ltd assumed management of Chemelil Sugar Company.

Sony Sugar Company was leased to Busia Sugar Industry, while West Valley Sugar Company Ltd took over Muhoroni Sugar Company.

Kagwe said the leasing program was meant to attract private-sector investment and inject fresh capital into the struggling sugar industry.

On May 9, President Ruto announced that the government had disbursed Ksh1.7 billion to state-owned millers to clear pending payments for farmers and workers, some of whom had neither supplied cane nor worked directly under the government.

“Last year, we paid about Ksh1.7 billion to government-owned sugar mills to pay farmers and workers, farmers who never supplied cane to the government and workers who did not work for the government. The government has no business running sugar mills,” Ruto said.

He also highlighted improved sugarcane production in the country, noting a 200,000-acre increase in land under sugarcane farming. The volume of cane crushed has risen from 490,000 metric tonnes two years ago to 815,000 metric tonnes in 2025, an increase of nearly 70 per cent.