NAIROBI, Kenya, July 6 – Kipenzi Sugar plans to invest Sh1.45 billion in the construction of a sugar factory in Mur Malanga, Siaya County, in a move expected to boost sugar production and create a market for local cane farmers.
According to an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report submitted to the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), the company has already acquired 17 hectares of land for the proposed sugar, distillery and cogeneration power project.
Once operational, the factory will produce brown and mill white sugar, with bagasse and molasses as key by-products. Other by-products will include filter mud and boiler ash.
The project will generate income from the purchase and milling of cane from outgrowers to produce brown and mill white sugar, and molasses,” the company said in the report.
The factory will use sugarcane as its primary raw material and will draw a minimum of 30 cubic metres of water per hour from River Yala, which will be treated at an on-site water treatment plant.
“It will utilize a minimum of 30M³ of water/hour from River Yala which it will pump and treat in its own water treatment plant,” the report states.
The company said the proposed site was selected because of its favourable conditions for sugarcane farming, including good road connectivity, fertile soils, reliable rainfall and existing cane plantations.
According to the report, the area has sufficient sugarcane production to sustain the factory without affecting the catchment areas of other sugar millers.
“It has a huge potential for sugarcane growing, with the majority of the farmers being maize and sugar cane growers with surplus cane in their fields,” the report says.
“The site is sufficiently distant from other factories to avoid encroachment in catchment areas. The cane potential and existing cane in this area is adequate for sustained cane supply for the proposed factory.”
The project is expected to create a ready market for outgrowers in Siaya and neighbouring counties while supporting value addition in Kenya’s sugar sector.
