Sugarcane farmers in Kenya are set to receive bonuses for their produce beginning this year, a development announced by President William Ruto during a thanksgiving ceremony for Co-operatives and SMEs Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya at Mabole grounds in Butere subcounty over the weekend. This initiative is part of the Kenya Kwanza administration’s reforms in the sugar industry.
“I want to say here today that we have streamlined operations at Mumias Sugar Company and sugarcane farmers will start earning bonuses from their produce starting this year,” Ruto declared. He reiterated the government’s commitment to revamping operations at the struggling Nzoia Sugar Company once ongoing court cases are resolved.
Ruto emphasized the need for timely payments and fair pricing, stating, “It is time we change the way we do business to benefit farmers instead of importers.” However, the National Federation of Sugarcane Farmers raised concerns about the lack of clarity regarding the criteria for the bonuses, urging the government to establish a legal framework.
Deputy secretary general Simon Wesechere questioned, “How would you pay a bonus yet there is no legal framework in place?” He called for amendments to the Sugar Bill 2019, which has lingered in Parliament since 2018. This announcement comes as farmers express dissatisfaction over low raw cane prices, with Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Andrew Karanja recently announcing a new price of Sh5,000 per tonne.
