This archive report was first published on 3 August 2020.
On Monday, 10 MCAs from the sugar belt region of Western Kenya, including Trans Nzoia, Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Uasin Gishu, and Vihiga counties, gathered in Webuye town to address the press.
The leaders, led by Ndivisi (Bungoma) MCA Martin Wanyonyi, Turbo (Uasin Gishu) MCA Ramadhan Juma, and Marachi Central (Busia) MCA Patrick Obuya, urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to direct the Interior Ministry to reinforce its border patrols to weed out cartels involved in the illegal trade.
The government had banned the importation of sugar on July 2, but the MCAs claimed that the ban was still being flouted through backdoor channels.
“We thank the Government for banning the importation of sugar. However, importation of sugar is still ongoing through back door,” said Wanyonyi.
“If strict penalties are put in place for the would-be offenders, they would not engage in the vice, the government should move in and enforce these laws,” said Juma.
Obuya, however, urged local farmers to take advantage of the ban and plant more cane for local industries.
“It is high time farmers took advantage of the government’s ban increase local cane production,” he said.
The government's ban on sugar imports was announced on July 2, with Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya stating that all brown sugar imports had been suspended with immediate effect.
“We have suspended all brown (table) sugar imports into the country with immediate effect. We have also suspended pre-shipment approvals and extension of all sugar import permits until further notice,” said Munya.
The move was aimed at protecting local production and farmers, but the MCAs claimed that the ban was not being enforced effectively.
