- Sugarcane workers issue a fresh warning over delayed payments
- Union says unresolved dues could disrupt operations in the sector
- Millers urged to prepare as workers weigh industrial action
Sugarcane plantation workers have given the government until Wednesday to release Ksh2.7 billion in dues or risk a strike.
The Kenya Sugarcane Plantation Workers Union has warned that failure to release the funds will trigger industrial action. As a result, sugar production could be disrupted.
Union Secretary General Francis Wangara said the government had failed to honour its commitment to settle the outstanding payments. This was despite the funds being allocated in the national budget.
Wangara said the union had written to the Ministry of Agriculture twice seeking clarification on when the payments would be made. However, it has yet to receive a firm commitment.
“We demand that this payment must be made immediately, failure to which it will cause confrontation, which will be very unfortunate for all of them,” Wangara said.
He explained that the payments were expected to begin in July, following the start of the 2026/2027 financial year. Instead, the government has continued to delay their release.
According to Wangara, the union had initially agreed with the sugar sector transition committee that the dues would be settled by August or, at the latest, September.
Meanwhile, the delay has left affected workers struggling financially. Some cannot meet basic household expenses, including school fees and food. The union said the workers had relied on the promised payments to stabilise their finances after the restructuring of the sugar industry.
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Wangara warned that the government would be responsible for any losses arising from the planned industrial action. In his view, workers should not bear the consequences of delays in settling their dues.
“If there is any time when they will lose as a result of this stoppage of work, then the government must know how to compensate them, because the button is the government and the delay is caused by government,” he said.
The union has also appealed to sugar millers to support its demand for the immediate release of the funds. It has asked them to prepare for possible disruptions should workers proceed with the strike.
Furthermore, Wangara said the union had cautioned employers against unfairly penalising workers if industrial action forced mills to suspend operations.
He noted that the threatened strike comes at a critical period, as the sugar industry is currently experiencing peak production.
“The reason why we are asking that we should join forces is so that payment is done early and does not affect sugar production,” Wangara said.
He warned that even a stoppage of one or two days could cause substantial losses for millers. Production disruptions could also affect operations during the peak season.
The union is urging the government and millers to resolve the dispute before Thursday to avert an industrial crisis that could disrupt sugar production across the country.
Wangara said the union had escalated the matter by copying its correspondence to senior government officials. They include President William Ruto, the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning, and other relevant authorities.
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He maintained that the union was not seeking political intervention. Rather, it wanted the government to honour its commitments to workers affected by the restructuring of the sugar companies.
“We believe that the government has the authority and the mandate to pay this money,” he said.
The union has instructed its members to join the national leadership in demanding the immediate release of the funds. It warned that workers could begin withdrawing their labour at any time from Thursday if the government fails to communicate its position.
Wangara said some workers had already expressed readiness to join the strike, although others remained cautious.
The dispute centres on salary arrears and terminal benefits owed to workers who were not retained after the transition of the sector. The union says it will keep pressing for the Ksh2.7 billion until all affected workers receive their dues.
By Fredrick Odiero
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