Bungoma Governor Kenneth Lusaka has waded into the intensifying debate surrounding the leasing of Nzoia Sugar Company, urging political leaders to stop exploiting the issue for personal gain and instead focus on protecting the livelihoods of farmers and factory workers.
Speaking during the funeral of Mama Rhosa Makhandia, Lusaka criticized what he described as "cheap politics" being played out at the expense of suffering farmers who depend on the ailing sugar mill for survival.
“It is unfortunate that year in and year out, politicians use the misfortunes of Nzoia Sugar to gain cheap publicity. Meanwhile, our farmers remain unpaid and workers demoralized,” said Lusaka.
The governor singled out former Cabinet Minister Eugene Wamalwa and other vocal opponents of the leasing plan, accusing them of political inconsistency. Lusaka claimed that some of those now resisting the proposal were previously part of a government task force that endorsed leasing as the best path to reviving the troubled mill.“Politics aside, let us fix Nzoia Sugar,” Lusaka emphasized. “Our farmers are frustrated. Workers are demoralized. We cannot afford to continue politicking while livelihoods are at stake.”
Nzoia Sugar, once a thriving institution in the Western Kenya sugar belt, has faced years of financial struggles, unpaid debts, and operational inefficiencies—challenges that have plunged thousands of farmers and employees into economic hardship.
Governor Lusaka warned that ongoing court battles and political wrangling over the leasing process could derail any meaningful progress and further harm those the factory was meant to support.“The longer we drag court cases and politicize the leasing process, the more we hurt the people we are supposed to serve,” he stated. “Let us drop these court cases and allow farmers to benefit from the new developments.”
His comments come amid heightened tension and uncertainty over the proposed leasing of the state-owned mill, a move government officials argue is necessary to inject capital, restore operations, and clear the backlog of unpaid dues to cane farmers.
Lusaka called for a collective, bipartisan approach to revive Nzoia Sugar, warning leaders against turning the factory into a “political battleground.” “Nzoia’s revival requires the collective effort of all stakeholders,” he said. “Let us come together and put the farmer first.”
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