Put Sugar Companies Under Counties, Urges Oparanya

Kakamega County Governor Wycliffe Oparanya has called on the national government to place sugar companies under county governments.

Speaking in Kisumu County during a thanksgiving ceremony for Governor Jack Ranguma, Oparanya said sugarcane remains the economic mainstay of counties within the sugar belts in Western Kenya region.

He said that the state of the mills in the region is wanting and farmers are unable to reap the benefits of their farming.

Oparanya said that placing sugar companies under county governments would ensure close monitoring and support in order to stabilise operations.

“Farmers are hard hit by the ineffectiveness of the mills as they are unable to send their children to school,” he said.

The Council of Governors Chief Whip noted that with devolution, Kenyans should be looking at their counties for employment, adding that sugar companies fall under the agricultural sector which has been fully devolved.