One week after the government officially leased the struggling Nzoia Sugar Company to a private investor, long-suffering employees who had endured two years without pay finally received their salaries on Friday.
The government disbursed KSh600 million as part of the salary arrears owed to the workers, marking a significant turnaround for the only sugar mill in the region. Speaking at Makoswela in Webuye East, Bungoma Senator Wafula Wakoli hailed the move as a bold and commendable step towards restoring dignity to those who had kept the factory alive under harsh conditions.
“I want to sincerely thank the government for walking the talk and releasing Sh600 million to pay our hardworking Nzoia Sugar Company workers. It now proves the critics wrong,” said the Ford Kenya senator.
Wakoli criticised opposition leaders who, he claimed, had used the factory’s misfortunes to score political points while ignoring the plight of the workers for over two and a half years.
“The Nzoia workers had been abandoned by those who are now opposing the leasing of the factory. I thank President William Ruto for coming to their rescue,” he added.
The senator reaffirmed his commitment to pushing for additional support to ensure both Nzoia farmers and workers are fully empowered and no longer exposed to the mismanagement and political interference of the past.
“Nzoia Sugar Company will never again be a playground for political gimmicks. Those now fighting the new sugar industry model had their chance in leadership but did nothing. They left our people to suffer in silence,” he said.
As Chairman of the Senate Agriculture Committee, Wakoli noted that the Sugar Act will be instrumental in transforming the sector. He expressed confidence that the new policy framework would not only attract private investment but also centre the farmer in the value chain, ensuring a sustainable and profitable future for the sugar industry.
“We are restoring systems, enforcing accountability, and ensuring that the problems that have plagued this sector are fixed once and for all,” he concluded.
The lease of Nzoia Sugar Company is part of a broader strategy by the government to revitalise the sugar sector, which has faced years of mismanagement, debt, and declining productivity.
