County and West Sugar in Talks for New MOU to Support Local Farmers
The County Government of Trans Nzoia is negotiating a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with West Sugar’s Naitiri subsidiary to bolster support for local sugarcane farmers. Governor George Natembeya, who led the meeting on Wednesday, emphasized the importance of ensuring that the company offers fair compensation to farmers and addresses environmental and infrastructural issues associated with sugarcane cultivation.
Governor Natembeya highlighted concerns about the adverse effects of sugarcane farming on soil fertility and the damage inflicted on roads by the company’s trucks. The county spends over Ksh.400 million annually on road repairs due to this damage. Additionally, there are concerns regarding the company’s transparency in financial contributions to the county, with discrepancies noted between declared income and actual remittances.
The meeting, which included county assembly leaders and West Sugar’s management led by Sangaiah Ramar, concluded with the formation of a committee tasked with drafting the MOU. The proposed agreement will outline how West Sugar can contribute to road maintenance and support corporate social responsibility initiatives.
With over 50,000 local farmers engaged in sugarcane farming across approximately 180,000 acres, and the company generating an annual income of over Ksh.1.1 billion, the MOU aims to create a mutually beneficial arrangement.
In attendance were MCAs Furaha Lusweti, Andrew Kutitila, Peter Amwayi, Simon Murey, Kisiang’ani Wambwa, Francis Were, Erick Wafula, and Alfred Weswa, alongside Roads CECM Jackson Amboka, Chief Officer Joseph Wasike, Sammy Sichangi of Governance, and Finance counterpart Emmanuel Masungo.
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