This archive report was first published on 21 April 2020.
On April 21, 2020, sugar farmers and millers from Western Kenya's sugar belt protested against unlicensed and illegal sugar imports into the region.
The protesters claimed that the region had been turned into a dumping market for illegal imports from neighboring countries, particularly Uganda.
They demanded that the Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Authority (AFFA) come clean on reports of collusion between unscrupulous businessmen and some authorities.
Nzoia Sugar Company chairman Joash Wamang'oli stated that sugar had started flowing into the country before the customs window opened, and that the government had released custom import licenses for importation on the previous Friday.
“It is unfortunate that those importing sugar want to kill the local industries. At this rate, we will not have money to pay our farmers,” he said.
Wamang'oli called upon AFFA to move with speed and protect local farmers and millers from the adverse effects of the unlicensed cheap imports.
He pointed out that some cartels had taken advantage of the porous border to bring in the commodity irregularly, and urged AFFA to urgently move in to protect farmers.
Similar concerns were raised by farmers from Nzoia, Butali, and West Kenya sugar growing zones, who said they had incurred huge losses due to the illegal trade.
They claimed that the illegal trade was akin to paying Ugandan farmers and further impoverishing local growers who were already facing numerous challenges in the turbulent sugar industry.
The stakeholders cited Bungoma, Mukenya, Masbrago, New Adatia, Kiminini, Kitale, Charangani, and Jaralam as some of the areas where the imports could be traced to.
Bungoma Governor Wycliffe Wangamati, a member of the Sugar taskforce, cautioned that opening up the importation window could have a negative impact, as prices could fall to unprecedented levels.
Wangamati urged Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya to intervene to cushion farmers from incurring losses.
Chairman of the Kenya National Alliance of Sugarcane Farmers, Saulo Busolo, also expressed concerns that the irregular imports would hurt the troubled sugar sector.
He urged President Uhuru Kenyatta to consider giving a stimulus package to the industry players to ensure a stable supply of the commodity.
