Traffic along the busy Bungoma-Eldoret highway was brought to a standstill as farmers protested the government's decision to lease Nzoia Sugar Company before settling their dues.
The farmers fear that the new investor may not pay them if allowed to take over in the lease expected to take 30 years.
The farmers blocked the road leading to heavy traffic. Long Distance Drivers and Conductors Association (LoDDCA) shared a video on social media, showing long queues of trucks on both sides of the highway.
"Traffic at Bugembe along the busy Bungoma-Eldoret highway has been disrupted by the protesting farmers. However, the police are restoring calm," LoDDCA stated.
Protests by farmers came just a day after staff of the company also took to the streets to protest the decision to lease the company to billionaire Jaswant Rai.
They blocked the Webuye-Malaba highway with bonfires as they demanded their delayed salaries. The staff have not been paid for the last 28 months.
The placards-carrying workers barricaded the road and lit bonfires as they chanted anti-government slogans.
The workers said they were worried about their job security with the coming of new owners.
"The government should have told us how it plans to ensure our job security before leasing the factory to the new investor," the workers said, even as the company's board assured the workers that their delayed salaries will be paid.
In the video shared online, smoke could be seen billowing from the middle of the highway where the protesting farmer had lit bonfires.
Apart from the fires, more and more farmers were also taking to the street, blocking the road, which is mostly used by long-distance trucks.
Trucks were seen lining up from both ends, with bystanders urging the government to intervene and resolve the issues raised by the farmers so that the highway could opened.
According to workers, the company owes them a total of Ksh2.3 billion. They accused the government of going against labour laws by leasing the company without considering their fate.
This disruption comes just a day after another disruption was reported along the Eldoret-Kitale highway on Wednesday, May 7. This followed an accident involving a canter that blocked the road. The canter was ferrying bales of maize flour before the accident near Bahraini Centre.
Residents rushed to the scene, looting the flour. The lorry had overturned, lying on its side across the busy road, completely blocking the highway.
Others even used motorbikes to ferry bales of flour .
Two weeks ago, a similar incident was reported at Sagana Bridge in Kirinyaga County when a lorry ferrying cement overturned.
