Kenya-Uganda sugar deal fraudulent, betrays farmers CORD

The Coalition for Reforms and Democracy (CORD) claims that the sugar deal between Kenya and Uganda betrays hardworking Kenyans.

In a statement, CORD said the deal allowing Uganda to sell its sugar in Kenya is at odds with the desires of the people saying the government should put the interests of Kenyans first.

“It is unpatriotic and a betrayal of a hardworking people who have long relied on sugarcane to develop their nation and their counties,” read the statement in part.

“Our position remains that the deal allowing Uganda to sell its sugar in Kenya is at odds with the desires and aspirations of our people.”

CORD called for transparency on the matter saying details of the deal with Uganda should be made public in accordance with Article 35 (3) of the Constitution of Kenya 2010 which requires the State to “publish and publicize any important information affecting the nation.”

The opposition cautioned the government against ethicizing the issue saying the deal affects people from Kenya’s sugar belt.

“It is not a Luhya or western Kenya issue. It affects livelihoods in the sugar cane growing counties of Bungoma, Homa Bay, Kakamega, Busia, Kisumu, Migori, Narok and Kwale. This is as national as any issue can be.”

“We are talking about the impact of this deal on Mumias Sugar, Nzoia Sugar, West Kenya Sugar and Butali Sugar in Western.”

“We are talking about Ramisi Sugar in Kwale, Sony Sugar in Migori, Transmara Sugar in Narok, Muhoroni sugar, Chemelil Sugar and Kibos Sugar in Kisumu and Sukari industries in Homa Bay County.”

They claimed that sugarcane is rotting in farms while farmers have not been paid for their cane because factories are making losses due to imported sugar.

“The factories are making losses because cheap imported sugar have filled warehouses and flooded the market.”

“And yet in all these areas, sugarcane farming, struggling as it is, has helped millions of families educate their children and put food on the table. An already bad situation is set to get worse with the Uganda deal.”

Uganda has no surplus sugar

CORD further argues that the agreement will lead to total destruction of the Kenya sugar industry adding that with the President’s signature, the sugar industry has been turned into a “lottery for Kenyan farmers.”

They claimed the deal will open doors for “crooked business and government officials who have the money and the connections to import sugar from anywhere, give it a Uganda label, and dump it here.”

CORD further claimed that Uganda has no surplus sugar to sell to Kenya noting that “the figures being floated are part of the conspiracy and dishonesty that we must resist”.

“As at December 2014, Uganda’s total sugar consumption projection stood at 420,966 metric tonnes with the total production capacity being projected to be 438,400 metric.”

The opposition referenced an article in Uganda’s Daily Monitor newspaper dated August 12th, 2015 by Nicholas Kalungi quoted: “Unless Uganda’s sugar production capacity is increased, consumers will continue paying high prices for the commodity.”

This, the writer claimed, came after the operational sugar companies such as Lugazi, Kakira and Kinyara – among others – failed to meet the 2012 sugar production forecast.”

In the 2011/2012 period, Uganda is said to have been hit by the worst sugar shortage in her recent history where a kilogramme of sugar retailed at Ksh 430.

“Ugandan businessmen, together with business cartels in Kenya, among them government officials, will source sugar from other parts of the world, route it to Uganda and return it to Kenya as Uganda sugar,” argued the opposition.

The opposition questioned why the government took upon itself to enter a deal with Uganda knowing that the new Constitution places Agriculture under county governments.

They called on President Kenyatta to cancel the deal and join the county in defending the nation and protecting farmers.