Sugarcane farmers from the Nyanza region have called on President William Ruto to intervene decisively in the sugar industry, accusing entrenched cartels of undermining reforms and exploiting growers. The farmers, through the Kenya Sugarcane Growers Association, warned that recent gains in the sector risk being eroded unless the government cracks down on vested interests.
Speaking in Kisumu during a roundtable with journalists, Association Secretary‑General Richard Ogendo said the cartels have resorted to filing numerous court cases across the country to block zonal elections of the Kenya Sugar Board, thereby stalling reform efforts. He questioned the motives behind the litigation, noting that ordinary farmers lack the financial capacity to pursue such cases.
“There are people behind these suits, and they are determined to frustrate reforms,” he said.
Ogendo also criticized legislators from Western Kenya who are pushing to amend the Sugar Act before it has even become operational. He described the move as mischievous and aimed at serving narrow interests rather than addressing the challenges facing farmers.
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The official further lamented the growing presence of foreign expatriates in local sugar firms, saying they occupy positions that could be filled by Kenyans. He claimed that workers in mills leased to private operators have been denied the right to join unions, with unionisable employees threatened with dismissal if they attempt to organize.
On pricing, Ogendo accused millers of colluding to suppress cane payments, leaving farmers with some of the lowest returns compared to other sugar‑producing countries. He alleged that millers conspire to reduce prices whenever farmers push for better compensation, a practice that has left growers struggling to break even.
He added that many elected leaders from sugar‑growing zones have been compromised, failing to champion the interests of their constituents. “The price of cane being paid to farmers per tonne is very low compared to what is being paid in other countries. Millers have formulated a conspiracy where they come together whenever there are plans to reduce payment to farmers,” Ogendo said.
The farmers now want President Ruto to “crack the whip” and dismantle the cartel networks they say are entrenched in the sector. They argue that without firm action, reforms will remain elusive and the livelihoods of thousands of growers across Nyanza and Western Kenya will continue to deteriorate.
By Fredrick Odiero
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