Working Kenyans stand to lose produce worth Ksh10 million as a new directive takes effect. The order, issued by the National Environment Management Authority (Nema), shut down the Kibos Sugar Factory over pollution on Friday, March 6.
Affected farmers stated that the closure had left them with over 4,000 tonnes of sugarcane with nowhere to take them.
On Wednesday, March 10, 2020, tens of tractors packed high with harvested sugarcane were grounded at the Kipsitet weighbridge at the risk of rotting.
Jonathan Langat, chairman of the Soin Sugarcane Farmers Association, asked the government to reconsider the closure of the factory in the interest of the farmers.
"The government should listen to our pleas and immediately reverse the decision lest we as farmers lose millions of shillings now that our produce is rotting away at the weighbridge," said Langat.
He urged the government to rethink the decision because it was in contradiction to Jubilee's professed industrialisation agenda.
He further argued that the move was part of a grand scheme to open doors to sugar imports into the country.
Langat's laments were echoed by fellow farmers who voiced their frustration with the directive.
Dickson Siele, for his part, stated that the directive was in bad faith as it only targeted Kiblos while leaving out other factories flouting Nema's rules and regulations.
"If Nema is genuine, it must take similar actions against all the companies which allegedly pollute the environment in the two counties, stated Siele.
The irate farmers had stormed Nema offices on Monday, March 9, to demand the lifting of the closure notice.
The farmers claimed that the closure of the factory would cost at least 3,000 factory employees their jobs while risking the livelihoods of 10,000 cane farmers who had previously supplied the factory.
Kibos Sugar Factory has a number of allied factories that were also affected by the directive. These include its distillery, paper plant and gas production.
