US Billionaire's Fight With Raila Ends in Tears

A controversial American investor's firm has wound up after 17 years in the country, following what was termed a political fight.

Reports from the Daily Nation on Sunday, January 26, indicate that Calvin Burgess, who has over the years blamed ODM leader Raila Odinga and his allies of frustration, has sold his multi-billion Dominion Farm in Siaya County to the affluent Rai family.

According to a Kenya Gazette notice dated January 13, the 3,700-acre farm would be sold to Lake Agro Company which is reportedly owned by Jasweet Singh Rai, Tejveer Singh Rai and Onkar Singh Rai of the multi-billion Rai family empire.

Apart from selling off the farm, Burgess is expected to foot all the debts and liabilities that the company had acquired before the transfer is effected.   

This expected sale brings to an end over 17 years of the company's growth under Burgess since he came into the country to turn his farm in Siaya County's Yala Swamps into the largest in Africa.

In a 22-page dossier that he released in 2017, Burges alleged that his troubles began when he refused to fund Raila and his ODM Party in the run-up to the 2007 General Election. 

Such claims, Odinga is reported to have dismissed as without basis or truth several times through his proxies and leaders allied to his ODM Party.

According to The Standard on March 17, 2017, former Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo and other ODM leaders came to the defence of the ODM leader over the accusations.

“We know he is planning to relocate, but we want him to leave the farm machinery intact because they were bought in this country with money generated from the sweat of our people.

"Odinga is not a beggar as Burgess is trying to portray him. We are not going to allow him to continue tainting the image of our leaders,” Midiwo stated.

Burgess' run-ins with the authorities started when he allegedly began conducting activities without the county's approval and was accused of dishonouring the promises he made in a Memorandum of Understanding between him and the County Council during its existence.

He was also accused of hiving off over 3,000 acres of community land and blocked roads that linked Namonye and Ratuoro Centres in Siaya, in addition to overhead chemical spraying of crops and barring area residents from accessing a local river.