Members of parliament (MPs) in Bungoma  are piling pressure on President William Ruto to cancel Rai group from taking control over Nzoia Sugar Company 30 years leasing deal.

The leasing deal effect took over on Saturday on all state- owned sugar mills after handing over ceremonies were done.

MPs Majimbo Kalasinga and (Kabuchai) and Jack Wamboka (Bumula) while addressing the media on Sunday in Bungoma town Scoffed at president Ruto terming him as a hypocrite 

Kalasinga said they are unhappy with how the government has handled and contacted the leasing of Nzoia Sugar Company arguing that it happened against the will of the area leaders and the people of Western.

“Nzoia Sugar Company was a gift given to us by Mzee Njomo Kenyatta, a man who saw that the Kenyanization of the sugar industry would benefit employment for the owners of this place and boost the production of sugar in the country to curb the demand on the market,” Majimbo said.

The Ford Kenya MP further affirmed that Nzoia sugar was put there to create employment for the youths to avoid flooding cities searching for jobs.

Kalasinga noted that during President Ruto’s campaigns in the runner- up to 2022 general elections, by then the Deputy President held economic forums in the region where he promised to unveil a new mill at Nzoia sugar within 100 days in office as the President.

“The President promised while at Amutala stadium in Kimilili during the economic form that he would bring a new mill at Nzoia sugar once he is voted in as the President, what has come to pass is the opposite,” he said.

He said that the leasing of the sugar firm was against the will of the elected leaders, workers, farmers and the courts.

“As we talk today, the Court restrained the leasing of Nzoia and the government has a head to lease the sugar firm, this is the government doesn’t understand and listen to its legal institutions is a government that doesn’t not want Kenya to grow,” Kalasinga said.

Kalasinga blamed President Ruto for considering Rai group as the qualified bidder to run Nzoia sugar recalling Ruto’s order ‘Mambo ni Matatu’ while in Mumias Kakamega.

“I ask my President that when you came to Mumias, you told us that ‘Mambo ni Matatu’ and you were implying Rai that is the person you were talking about, now is the same Rai, how has he sanitized himself to start owning Nzoia,” he said.

According to the leasing documents, Kalasinga revealed that the sugar firm has already acquired a new name adding that when it acquires a new name it becomes like the Social Health Authority (SHA).

“The moment you change the name you cannot sue the old organization because it no longer exists, you cannot sue the new organization because you aren’t part of it, legally not bidding,” he said.

He added that the new firm that has taken Nzoia cannot be responsible with the debts of the workers and farmers, neither can it be sued.

He noted that the Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Agriculture Mutahi Kangwe has directed Nzoia farmers and workers to ask their dues from the government which would be a toll order for them.

Kalasinga also noted that initially there was a leasing deal that took place at Webuye Pan Paper with promises of reviving the paper industry but nothing has ever taken place alleging that the Pan Paper is now used as a depot of packaging contraband sugar.

“What happened at Webuye Pan Paper will still happen at Nzoia sugar because the person who pretended to have the capacity to revive the Paper mills is the same man who has taken Nzoia management,” he said.

The MPs stated that on Monday they would lead protests and further move to court to block the private developer from accessing the sugar industry premises.

“Our workers and farmers, we are asking you to stand up in arms, as we go to court, go and close the gates, Rai cannot step in Nzoia and take up, this is our property,” he said.

Kalasinga also appealed to the government to make the leasing documents public and indicate how much was leased arguing that they should also shed light on the fate of public institutions on Nzoia farm.

Kalasinga’s sentiments were reinstated by his Bumula counterpart Jack Wamboka saying that the Attorney General was in court and stopped the leasing of the sugar firm.

Wamboka said Rai has a bad history in the recent past attributing it to the fall of Mumias Sugar Company and Webuye Pan Paper mill in Bungoma.

“We have refused the lease of Nzoia, we are not going to allow his step in Nzoia,” Wamboka said.

He asked Bungoma leaders; National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula and Governor Kenneth Lusaka to re-think and ask the President to hear their pleas and revoke the tendering deal.

Written by, Wanji Sostine