A section of leaders drawn from the Western region have come out to blast President William Ruto over the leasing of Nzoia, Chemilil, Sony and Muhoroni Sugar Companies to private investors  for a period of 30 years.

Led by Kabuchai Member of Parliament (MP) Marimba Kalasinga, the lawmakers decried that the move creates room for future problems farmers have to endure. He explained that changing of ownership is likely to affect legalities whenever serious issues occur due to a lack of transparency.

He went on to state that the president had promised to modernize machines and not lease the companies.

“When you sell a factory and change the name from lawyer to rice sugar mills or whatever name will come during handover, who will farmers sue? The new company will not be existing; farmers in Bungoma will not see the new farm nor the dissolate Nzoia company. there is no transparency in this matter,” he said.

Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna echoed Kalasinga’s remarks wondering why the sugar companies were being leased to national investors when the tender was international.

“It is difficult for me to accept that in the entire world there are only two or three families that can run sugar companies in this country, if you put out an international tender and only two families in Kenya are responding to it, there is a problem. How is it possible that we put out an international and tender and the respondents are not international people,” Sifuna said.

On his part, Vihiga Senator Godfrey Osotsi shared that the leasing of the companies is a process of corruption in the making. He referenced the downfall of the Webuye Pan paper industry where he noted that the multi-billion company was sold off for a pittance of Ksh900 million on the pretence that it would be revived.

The senator equally took a swipe at the president reminding him of the promise he made to the western people when he assured them that he will revive the sugar companies. Osotsi accused the head of state of going against his promises to serve his interests.

“This process is corruption in the making, we cannot allow Nzoia Sugar company that farmers contributed to its existence through providing land to be taken away very easily, we have been in this process before; Panpaper that cost Ksh20 billion was sold for a mere Ksh900 million on the prefix that it was going to be revived, right now when you go to the company nothing is happening. The former employees who worked there are living in abject poverty,” he said.

Govt’s stance

Despite complaints from the leaders and criticism from a section of Kenyans, the Kenya Sugar Board has continued to defend the decision, noting that sugarcane farmers will benefit from it. 

In a statement on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, Kenya Sugar Board Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Jude Chesire assured that the government will revoke the investor’s lease should they fail to modernise mills, support sugarcane development or pay farmers as agreed.

If they don’t deliver, we’ll hand it over to those who truly prioritise our farmers. For every kilo of sugar processed, the lease and concession fees from the four investors will flow back to the farmers,” he said.

“Farmers come first. If investors leasing sugar factories fail to modernise mills, support cane development, or pay farmers weekly as agreed, the government will revoke their leases simple. A 30-year term is only justified by the heavy capital injection expected,” he added.