Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale, on Saturday, April 1, differed with President William Ruto's Cabinet on privatising parastatals without Parliament's approval.
Speaking during an interdenominational service in Malava, Kakamega County, Khalwale indicated that Mumias Sugar and Nzoia Sugar were among the list of companies listed for sale.
Defending his decision, former Ikolomani Member of Parliament stated that privatising the companies would see residents lose over 35,000 acres of land.
"You stated last week that companies would be privatised. Among them, we have some of our sugar milling factories, Nzoia and Mumias Sugar Company," Khalwale stated.
"Our forefathers donated 12,500 acres for Mumias Sugar and 24,500 to Nzoia Sugar Company. If you privatise, someone will go away with ancestral land," he insisted.
Addressing the issue of opposing the government, Khalwale maintained that privatising the two sugar mills would deprive the local community of their source of employment and economy.
"We will not support the issue of privatising of Mumias and Nzoia Sugar Company. We cannot, and this is not out of disrespect for the President or the government," Khalwale maintained.
"That is the little we have in the economy of the sugar industry," he added.
However, the lawmaker challenged the Kenya Kwanza government to deal with cartels importing cheap sugar into the country.
Further, he revealed that cheap sugar had derailed plans to revive Mumias and Nzoia Sugar Company.
The Cabinet on Tuesday, March 21, approved the Privatisation Bill allowing the government to sell non-performing parastatals without going through Parliament.
Cabinet's decision made it easy for the government to sell public companies to private investors.
“The Cabinet has approved the Privatisation Bill, 2023, which will repeal the Privatisation Act, 2005. This law ushers in a more facilitative and non-inhibiting legal and policy framework that will oversee privatisation in the country," Cabinet's despatch read in part.
“The proposed Bill gives power to the Treasury to privatise public-owned enterprises without the bureaucratic approvals of Parliament,” the CSs unanimously agreed.
