Sugarcane Farmers and Kibos Sugar Factory workers protest its closure

 Sugar Cane Farmers and Kibos Sugar Factory workers staging a peaceful protest in Kisumu today following the NEMA Closing the factory and its allied Industries-Photo By Dickson Odhiambo

By Dickson Odhiambo

March 9, 2020

Sugarcane Farmers and Kibos Sugar Factory workers protest its closure

A section of Sugar cane farmers within Nyando Sugar belt have today staged a peace demonstration in Kisumu City so as to register their uttermost displeasure following the National Environmental Management Authority’s decision to close down the Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries last week on Friday.

The sugarcane farmers from Muhoroni, Nyando and Kisumu East Sub-counties together with the Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries Workers thronged the streets of Kisumu in a peaceful protest where they ended up to Prosperity House where the office of Kisumu Governor Prof Peter Anyang Nyong’o is located and demanded to be addressed by the Governor.

The protestors who carried placards and sugarcane stems walked all the way from Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries premises in Kisumu East to the Kisumu’s Central Business District.

Addressing the press at the main entrance of the Prosperity House today, the sugarcane farmers said the abrupt closure of the factory is a major setback to them as cane farmers since some of their canes that have been harvested are now lying idle within their farms because they can’t be taken to the factory for weighing and thereafter crushing to produce sugar.

Zedekiah Odhiambo chairman of Kisumu Sugar belt Cooperative Union claimed that they have read malice the way the National Environmental Management Authority has shut down the factory, adding that there is a mischief.

He says already there are about 10,000 tons of harvested sugar cane lying idle within the farmers.

“We are not happy the way Nema has closed down Kibos Sugar Factory and now our sugarcane are lying idle in the farmers. This is very sad indeed,” he says.

Chairman of Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries Workers Union Noah Ochieng said the closure has really affected the lives of many employees at the factory.

He appeals to the National Government to intervene and help to ensure that the factory is reopened, adding that the factory has in the recent times been complying with the Nema regulation of Pollution and releasing treated effluent to River Kibos.

They are worried that the existing employment are being closed down and the unemployment rate among the youth is very high.

“We want to know from the National Government when it will be allowing Kibos sugar to resume its operations,” he says.

The National Environmental Management Authority last week citing noncompliance with various nema regulations.

On Friday last week , Nema director general Mamo Mano said Kibos had failed to comply with regulations after being given a 30 days ultimatum.

He said the company did not adhere to the Air Quality Regulation of 2014.
Mamo said according to the regulation factories must maintain 50 micrometers of what they emit into the atmosphere.

Kibos is emits 245 micrometers, more than five times above the national standards.

Nema directed that the company must immediately cease operations until they have installed an effective air pollution control system.

Mamo said in a letter dated March 5 that the company should implement the emission reduction measures as set out in part IV of the 5th schedule of the Air Quality Regulation 2014.

ENDS: