Even as the one-time country’s biggest Sugar factory, Mumias Sugar continues to crumble, a section of the Mumias residents have come out to demonstrate against corrupt leaders whom they accused of contributing to its downfall.
On Tuesday, angry residents took to the streets of Mumias town protesting against what they claim is a move by a section of politicians from the region to take advantage of Mumias Sugar woes to enrich themselves politically.
According to them, some of the leaders who have been associated with the fall of the sugar factory were out ranting and opposing efforts by other entities to revive the factory in what the locals blame them for playing politics with their lives.
Without naming them, one of the locals condemned two politicians whom he said have been at the forefront opposing the revival of the factory while pretending to be advocating for the same.
“We will not allow selfish politicians to kill our sugar factory. We want to tell them that if they don’t keep politics off this issue, we will curse them as a community,” lamented one of the locals
[VIDEO]Mumias residents hold demonstrations in their push for speedy rival of Mumias Sugar Company & arrest of corrupt leaders in the company. pic.twitter.com/SDCpWslZFY
— Hot 96 FM Kenya (@Hot_96Kenya) October 22, 2019
They wondered how politicians who don’t even own any sugar farms in the region could develop such interests in the factory saying their main target was to see the company always down so as to capitalize from the same through cheap political blame games.
“These guys, unfortunately, do not care about what happens to their people. They lack concern…they are only interested in captivating their political fame,” added another resident.
According to them, bad politics was infiltrating the entire system as the miller grapples with its revival strategy amid biting shortage of raw material.
Wakazi wa Mumias wameandamana kulalamikia hatua ya baadhi ya wanasiasa kutumia kudidimia kwa kiwanda cha Mumias kujipatia umaarufu wa kisiasa. #LeoMashinani pic.twitter.com/EbRxEKNHAl
— KTN News Alerts (@KTNNewsKE) October 22, 2019
A section of politicians from Kakamega County have been blamed for frustrating efforts to revive the ailing miller that is riding high on debts.
Politicians who have benefited from the factory through dubious deals with the former management have been accused of opposing the change of guard at the miller that has in recent years been producing half of all sugar consumed in the country.
The MPs are alleged to have engaged in shoddy contracts with the former management that fleeced the company billions of shillings while another is accused of influencing the employment of his relatives to safeguard his interests in the company.
In 2017, the government pumped more than Sh3.7 billion meant to turn around the factory operations but so far, there is little to show for the money.
Recently, Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala and former Sports CS Rashid Echesa clashed with each pointing figures at the other for failure to push for the revival of Mumias Sugar Company.