The management of Chemelil Sugar Company and the farming community in Muhoroni are reeling from a devastating arson attack that has left over 30 hectares of sugarcane plantations in ashes.
Unknown individuals reportedly set fire to several blocks within the factory’s nucleus estate, capitalizing on high winds to ensure the blaze spread rapidly across the fields.
The incident comes at a critical juncture for the miller, which recently underwent a major revival and modernization program under a new lease partnership.
Also, it makes the destruction feel like a calculated blow to its newfound momentum.
Police have launched an intensive investigation into the inferno, which they are currently treating as a brazen act of economic sabotage.
According to reports from the Muhoroni sub-county police command, the fire was first spotted in the early afternoon when security supervisors noticed thick smoke billowing from the estate.
Despite a quick response from emergency teams and local volunteers, the combination of dry weather and strong gusts made the fire nearly impossible to contain before it had razed approximately 74 acres of vital raw material.
The loss is particularly painful because four of the affected blocks contained mature cane that was scheduled for immediate harvest.
At the same time, another block of young cane was also destroyed, creating a gap in the factory’s long-term crushing cycle.
The timing of this attack has raised serious questions about the motives behind the blaze.
Investigators from the Chemelil Police Post and the Directorate of Criminal Investigations are looking into potential links between the fire and ongoing industrial tensions.
Chemelil Sugar recently transitioned into a new era under a lease agreement with the Chatthe Group, a move that brought millions of shillings in investment to fix obsolete boilers and turbines.
While the revival was met with widespread optimism, it also brought friction regarding labor contracts and the shift in management.
Also, leading local stakeholders to fear that the fire was a deliberate attempt to derail the factory’s recovery.
This loss of over 30 hectares of nucleus cane poses a significant challenge to the factory’s daily operations.
With the boilers recently fired up and the production line roaring back to life, the sudden shortage of high-quality raw material threatens the company’s ability to meet its immediate financial obligations and supply targets.
Beyond the direct financial hit, which is estimated to be in the millions, the incident has forced the management to reconsider its security protocols, as the cost of monitoring such vast, open plantations is expected to rise.
Farmers’ associations in the Kisumu sugar belt have since called on the government to provide enhanced protection for the region’s economic engines.
With the Sugar Act of 2024 aimed at bringing order to the sector, there were high hopes for a period of stability; however, this arson attack serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of the industry to criminal interference.
For now, the factory management remains defiant, urging the public to provide any information that could lead to the arrest of the perpetrators while vowing that the revival of Chemelil will continue despite this latest setback.
ALSO READ: Who Is IShowSpeed? Inside the Wild Rise of Darren Jason Watkins Jr.
