Sugar union welcomes State plan to lease factories
By Noven Owiti, May 2, 2025The Kenya National Federation of Sugarcane Farmers and the Kenya Union of Sugar Plantation and Allied Workers (KUSPAWU) have welcomed the government’s move to lease out four sugar factories—Nzoia, Chemilil, Muhoroni and Sony.
The process is being overseen by a committee led by Kenya Sugar Board Chief Executive Jude Chesire.
The committee and the two unions have already met with the Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, who reassured them the leasing will not be done without the input of farmers and workers.
Kagwe says the leasing process is ongoing and will not be finalised before the issues facing both groups are resolved.
“Next week I have a series of meetings with various stakeholders, including the MP, the sugar caucus and the county governors of the areas where these factories are located. We cannot do this arbitrarily; there is leadership in that area that cannot be ignored; we cannot ignore the unions; we cannot ignore the farmers’ representatives,” Kagwe stated.
The CS insisted nobody will be allowed to take over the factories before they are properly vetted and can meet the conditions set by the government, saying that the negotiations are still going on to ensure that when they lease out the factories, the interests of farmers and workers are protected.
Kagwe said the National Treasury, represented at the meeting by the Director General, Public Investments and Portfolio Management, Lawrence Kibet, moved to assure farmers and workers that all pay arrears will be paid.
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