“That is why I have said that to rescue these sugar firms, we shall write off the debts as the government of Kenya” – are the words of H.E President Ruto to residents of Nyando where he made a commitment that his government would work tirelessly to revive the sugarcane industry.

In the recent past, numerous sugar mill in the Western region have been the unfortunate victims of closure and bankruptcy due to debts, corruption and mismanagements.

The government recognizes the need to revive the sub-sector, to the benefit of farmers and Kenyans.

“Sugar is critical and I will sort out the problems in our sugar factories for good,” – President Ruto has said.

It is in line with this promise that the government has disbursed about 1.7 Billion shillings to offset the debts owed to farmers.

Speaking before the National Assembly Agriculture Committee, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi requested parliamentarians to issue a certificate for debt write-off, benefiting state-owned sugar companies facing financial challenges.

Hon. Linturi stated that cane farmers expected to benefit from the 2023/2024 Supplementary Budget through an allocation of 1.7 Billion Shillings to compensate farmers in Nzoia, Muhoroni, Chemelili, SONY and Miwani state-owned mills.

The Kenya Kwanza government also wrote off 117 billion shillings in debt, including 53 billion owed by Nzoia Sugar, as part of the effort to rescue the financially struggling companies.

President Ruto and his administration has insisted on the importance to reviving the cane industry as it is a vital sub-sector for the success of Bottom-Up Transformation.

The cane industry has in the past been a reliable source of income for thousands of farmers, a source of employment opportunities in the mills as well as a big contributor the country’s GDP.

Ruto’s administration has made a commitment to sugar cane farmers to deal with the unscrupulous cartels and brokers as well as the corrupt management that has been at the center of the downfall of many mills.

President Ruto promised farmers that the sugar sector will no longer be left at the mercy of barons whom he said have impoverished farmers.