Sugarcane farmers threaten not to deliver cane until MD Reinstated
Sugar cane Farmers supplying Chemelil Sugar Company address the media today after their meeting.They have threatened not to deliver cane to the factory until the ousted MD reinstated-Photo By Dickson Odhiambo
By Dickson Odhiambo
February 16, 2023
Sugarcane farmers threaten not to
deliver cane until MD Reinstated
Sugar cane farmers supplying the commodity to Chemelil Sugar
Company in Kisumu County have threatened not to deliver their produce to the
factory until the Government reinstate ousted Managing Director.
This is one of the resolutions the farmers have come up with
after having a meeting within the Chemelil Sugar Company today.
Addressing the media today after their stakeholders meeting,
the Sugar cane farmers says the Government should consider reinstating the
immediate former Managing Director of the Company Gabriel Nyangweso whom the
court recently ruled that he is in the office illegally after acting for more
than five years as the Chief Executive Officer of the company.
Tom Okal who is a sugarcane farmer and read the resolution
on behalf of the farmers said they are moving to court be enjoined in appeal
case challenging the court decision that declared Nyangweso’s staying in office
as Managing Director illegal.
They have further said they don’t recognize the recent
appointment of Jackeline Kotonya as the Acting Managing Director for the next
one month, adding that she previously held such a position in an acting
capacity and allegedly failed to pay the sugarcane farmer’s arrear.
They say should there be a plot to forcefully put her to the
office as the Managing Director in an acting Capacity then they will have no
any other option other than withdrawing their supply of sugarcane to the
factory.
The Farmers have also resolved to have a meeting with the elected
leaders from the Nyando sugar belt so as to discuss the issue in an amicable
manner.
The farmers claim that there is a conspiracy to put the
Chemelil Sugar factory and other four state-owned millers under privatization
without involving them as a major stakeholder.
They have also said they will move to court to file a matter
under the certificate of agency so as to be granted orders setting the pending
cases and seek the reinstatement of the immediate former Managing Director to
office.
The Farmers say the Managing Director used to pay them
promptly after every week of delivering the cane, adding that sugarcane
transporters have also been benefiting from the prompt payment under Nyangweso’s
leadership.
The Chemelil Sugar Company has appointed its Quality
Assurance Manager Jacqueline Kotonya as an acting Managing Director for the
next one Month as the Ministry of Agriculture looks for a substantive office
holder.
She has been appointed so as to replace the immediate former
Managing Director Gabriel Nyangweso whom the court has dismissed for being in
acting capacity for more than five years.
Nyangweso was appointed the Acting Managing Director of the
State-owned Sugar miller in 2017 in an acting Capacity.
His promotion and that of the retired Head of Finance
Emmanuel Ngala were recently quashed in court after a petition filed by Caleb
Gichana.
The Petitioner challenged the legality of the two staying in
office on grounds that they had not been recruited under a competitive process,
adding that their continued stay in office was unlawful and unconstitutional since
it was done without proper gazette notices, pointing at a violation of the
Articles 10 and 232 of the Constitution of Kenya 2010.
Justice Stephen Radido while delivering the ruling pointed
out that the Ministry of Agriculture neglected its duty and did not constitute
the Board of Directors for Chemelil Sugar Company.
The Court ordered the Ministry to appoint or advertise for
the recruitment of the Company’s Board of Directors.
The Court also ordered for the advertisement of the recruitment
of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer cum Managing Director.
The law requires that the Board once constituted will then
embark on the recruitment of the Company’s next CEO.
Then Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya dissolved the
Boards of three State owned-sugar companies on July 16,2020 namely Nzioa,
Chemelil and Sony with an aim of giving room for the leasing process and
handing over the management to private entities.
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