Sugarcane Farmers To Receive Their Dues Before December- President Ruto

 

President William Ruto has now stated that the government will pay sugar cane farmers who have yet to receive their dues, as part of plans to revitalize sugar companies in the Nyanza region that are facing financial difficulties.

The Head of State, on a four-day tour of Luo Nyanza, said the farmers will be paid their dues before December and vowed to deal ruthlessly with the individuals behind Kenya's sugar mess. 

"I know sugar companies here owe farmers some Ksh.860.M, I will go look for that money, and we will be back here to pay farmers before December," he said. 

At the same time, he stated that the government would announce a new course of action for the sugar companies, pointing out that a government bailout will not provide a long-term solution.

"In the next two, three, or four weeks, we shall announce what direction these sugar companies will take," he said. 

"We cannot continue pouring public money into a hole," President Ruto said "Farmers have given their produce and it has been processed and then they are not paid,"

He reaffirmed the government's commitment to reviving the sugar industry during the visit.

He said parliament will this week issue a certificate for a debt write-off for the sugar companies currently in a cash crunch 

"We will pay farmers in that debt write off, around Ksh.1.7B from Sony to Chemelil and Muhoroni and all the way to Nzoia as well as Mumias," he said. 

"We will then advertise the leasing program where we will ensure that whoever leases these...there will be no privatisation, we are going to lease and ensure that we have a new mill that is going to serve us,"

Ruto declared war on the individuals and organizations responsible for the country's sugar industry's collapse in late August of this year.

The government has written off 117 billion shillings in debt, including 53 billion owed to creditors by Nzoia Sugar, in order to revive the financially distressed companies.    BY CITIZEN DIGITAL