PS Mukhwana explains why reviving Nzoia Sugar could take over 3 years
By Mabonga Makhanu, October 11, 2025Principal Secretary for Trade and Investments, Juma Mukhwana, has explained why the revival of Nzoia Sugar Company might take up to three years before it becomes fully operational.
Speaking during a live interview on the Ikuwekuwe Facebook page on Friday, October 11, 2025, Mukhwana revealed that the sugar milling plant has severely outdated machinery, having been established in 1976.
He noted that the factory requires a complete overhaul by the new investor, businessman Jaswant Singh Rai, to bring it up to modern standards.
According to the PS, the factory was in a dilapidated state, with some sections being held together by ropes. He added that most of its spare parts are no longer available in the country, making repairs extremely difficult.
However, he expressed optimism that under the new management, the situation would improve, saying that Rai has already brought in engineers from India to begin modernisation work.
“It might take up to three years for it to be fully operational. There is a complete overhaul of the plant; they have imported a new one from India, which is modern. A factory is not something you can rebuild in three months; it requires a lot of time,” Mukhwana stated.
He further noted that Nzoia Sugar’s efficiency had dropped drastically to around 10 per cent, with large quantities of sugar being lost as waste.
He added that once the modernisation process is complete, the factory’s efficiency is expected to rise to between 80 and 100 per cent.
Lack of efficiency
Mukhwana compared the current state of Nzoia Sugar to the newly established Naitiri Sugar Plant, located a few miles away. He said that while Naitiri produces six thousand tonnes of sugar per hour, Nzoia could only manage three thousand tonnes within the same timeframe due to inefficiency and equipment breakdowns.
The PS also addressed the recent mass retrenchment of workers at Nzoia Sugar, explaining that the government had previously overemployed staff.
He revealed that jobs meant for about 400 employees were being handled by over 6,000 workers, forcing the company to dig deep into its pockets to meet salary obligations, which further reduced efficiency and profitability.
Mukhwana criticised leaders opposing the leasing of Nzoia Sugar Company, accusing them of advancing their own political interests rather than focusing on the welfare of the local community that stands to benefit from the company’s revival.
Opposition to the lease
His remarks come just days after opposition leaders from the Western region, led by DAP–K party leader Eugene Wamalwa, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, DAP–K deputy party leader Cleophas Malala, Kabuchai MP Majimbo Kalasinga, and Bumula MP Jack Wamboka, among others, staged protests against the government’s decision to lease the plant.
The lease agreement allows the investor to run the sugar milling plant for the next 30 years before handing it back to the state.