President Ruto with Bungoma Senator David Wakoli at state house after the President assented the bill to the new sugar law.
By I.P. reporter.
NAIROBI, Kenya.
Bungoma Senator David Wakoli has announced that the Sugar Act 2024 is now in effect, calling it a transformative step toward revitalizing Kenya’s struggling sugar industry.
The Act aims to restore the sector, which has seen significant declines over the years, resulting in massive job losses, widespread poverty, and the collapse of once-thriving towns in sugar-growing regions.
“This Act represents our national commitment to agricultural renewal and economic justice,” Wakoli said during a press briefing.
The legislation includes key provisions designed to empower farmers and restore the industry,reestablishment of the Kenya Sugar Board with direct farmer representation to ensure equitable decision-making.
Allocation of a 4% Sugar Development Levy , rehabilitation of collapsed factories (15%), support for cane development (40%),creation of fair pricing mechanisms and an efficient dispute resolution framework will protect farmers from exploitation.
Wakoli said the reforms would bring hope to Kenya’s sugar-growing regions, including Kakamega, Bungoma,Trans Nzoia and Kisumu, where the sector’s collapse has devastated local economies.
The sugar industry,once a cornerstone of Kenya’s agricultural economy has for many years struggled with mismanagement, corruption and debt problems.
Iconic factories like Mumias Sugar, Nzoia Sugar, and Miwani Sugar were in danger of closing shop , leaving an estimated 250,000 workers unemployed and impacting more than 6 million Kenyans who depend on the sector indirectly.
The closure of factories has turned towns such as Mumias, Webuye and Muhoroni into shadows of their former selves, with businesses shuttered, families displaced and farmers unable to make a living.
“Farmers have borne the brunt of this collapse, but their resilience has paved the way for this breakthrough,” Wakoli said.
Wakoli thanked President William Ruto for signing the Act into law, calling it a bold step toward rebuilding the sector.
He said the legislation will not only restore factories but also bring life back to rural economies and create jobs for thousands of Kenyans.
“This is about more than factories; it’s about restoring dignity to our farmers and revitalizing entire communities,” Wakoli said.
The implementation of the Sugar Act 2024 is set to begin immediately, with stakeholders optimistic that it will reverse years of decline and put Kenya’s sugar industry on a path to recovery.
Ends.
Indeed it’s a new dawn for sugar cane farmers