The workers and the stakeholders have asked the Kenya government to first clear the arrears of the workers before leasing the state-owned sugar mills from Western Kenya. The government has written off the loans worth Sh3 billion for the five state-owned sugar mills.
Francis Wangara, secretary general, Kenya Sugar Plantation and Allied Workers Union said that the government did not consider the workers’ arrears while writing off the debts of the public sugar mills.
“The government should consider the loans before leasing the mills. The employees will face miseries as they have to ask their arrears from new owners.”
The Miwani, Nzoia, South Nyanza, Muhoroni and Chemelil mills will be privatized by the government.
The government has asked the interested investors to submit their expression of interest for these mills. The bids should be submitted to the AFA director general by August 3. The mills will be leased for 25 years.
As many as eight million people from Kenya depend on the sugar sector which helps in the socioeconomic development of the country generating employment and rural development.
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