NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 2 – President William Ruto has assured residents of Bungoma County that the Nzoia Sugar Company is not being sold to private individuals.
Instead, the head of state said that the facility would be handed over to new management.
Ruto was forced to respond to the claim yesterday while on a tour of Bungoma County, where leaders voiced opposition to the privatization of the facility.
“Nzoia Sugar Company is not on sale. The firm that is at the heart of Western Kenya’s economy will not be privatised but will be put under new management,” Ruto said.
“The Government will install professional management that will inject efficiency in the running of the sugar company.”
In August last year, the Cabinet shelfed plans to privatize state-owned sugar mills, following sustained opposition from stakeholders in the sugar belt region.
Firms that were to be privatized included Nzoia Sugar Company, Chemelil Sugar Company, Miwani Sugar Company (in receivership), Muhoroni Sugar Company (in receivership), South Nyanza Sugar Company, and Mumias Sugar Company (in receivership).
Ruto stated in April 2023 that the five sugar firms had a combined debt of up to Sh60 billion, which he announced the state would write off.
