This archive report was first published on 9 July 2019.
On July 9, 2019, workers in state-owned sugar mills in Kenya were facing a severe financial crisis due to Sh1.2 billion in unpaid salary arrears.
Kenya Union of Sugar Plantation and Allied Workers General Secretary Francis Wangara spoke out about the issue, stating that the government had only paid arrears owed to farmers but failed to address the plight of workers.
Wangara emphasized that the salary arrears dated back several years and should be paid before the mills were privatized, warning that private investors should not be burdened with the arrears.
He also expressed concerns about the current management of the sugar milling companies, stating that they lacked the ideas and expertise to revive the companies and should not be trusted with their revival.
Wangara urged the government to quickly identify strategic investors to pump new life into the mills and cushion farmers from suffering.
He warned that if nothing was done, the state mills would close by December, with Nzoia, Chemelil, and Muhoroni already struggling to operate.
