Western Kenya leaders differ over sugar report

A section of Western Kenya leaders have demanded that the sugar report be reintroduced back to Parliament.

Speaking during a Press conference in Parliament, they criticised an earlier proposal by three of their counterparts to have the President form a commission of inquiry.

“Mudavadi, Wetangula and Wamalwa are our elder brothers and we listen to them but there are many ways to do this and we here in Parliament are in agreement that reintroducing the report is the way to help our farmers,” they said.

The sugar report from the joint Parliamentary Committee on Trade and Agriculture was shot down last week after a heated debate that saw some lawmakers accused of lobbying to discredit it.

Earlier on Wednesday morning, Devolution CS Eugene Wamalwa, Ford Kenya party leader Moses Wetangula and his ANC counterpart Musalia Mudavadi held a private meeting over the issue.

According to the three, the best way to deal with the issue is for the President to form an independent committee since the Parliamentary team that presented the sugar report was allegedly compromised.

“We have recorded our disapproval of the despicable behaviour in the National Assembly and collectively agreed to engage various players in the sector,” Wetangula said.

Mudavadi added that the proposed commission would look into various entities and individuals alleged to have imported sugar and also investigate those who reportedly took bribes to shoot down the report.

However, moments later, other Western Kenya leaders emerged saying the sentiments of the three was not representative of what they had agreed on.

They concurred that sugar from Brazil has flooded the Kenyan market leaving farmers unable to sell their produce but the best way to deal with the matter is to reintroduce the report to Parliament.

“We will continue to engage the leadership until the report is reintroduced to the House,” the lawmakers said.

They added that all 42 members of Parliament from Western Kenya were in support of their proposal.