Arrears
Muhoroni Member of Parliament (MP) James K’oyoo has accused the government of unfair payment of the sector’s workers’ salary arrears. This comes after the Agriculture Principal Secretary (PS) Kipronoh Rono approved the release of Sh654 million in the 2023-2024 financial year supplementary budget to clear farmers and sugarcane workers’ arrears.
Out of the amount, Sh353 million has been allocated for clearance of farmers’ arrears and Sh150 million for Nzoia Sugar Company workers arrears.
The remaining Sh150 million is expected to be shared between Chemelil Sugar Company workers, South Nyanza (SONY) Sugar Company workers, Chemelin Sugar Company workers and the Kenya Agriculture and Livestock Research Organisation (KALRO) for multiplication of new sugarcane seedlings varieties.
The MP said the distribution of the funds was unfair given that the workers have gone for years without pay. He said it was unfair for the government to allocate one miller Sh150 million, while the remaining three are left to share a similar amount with a state agency.
Workers at Chemelil Sugar Company were owed Sh1.1 billion having gone for 49 months without pay, while Muhoroni Sugar Company, owes Workers Sh1.2 billion, hence the money allocated to the company by the government was just a drop in the ocean, he added.
The MP said he has written to Agriculture Principal Secretary (PS) Kipronoh Rono to explain how the breakdown was arrived at given that all the state-owned millers owed workers’ salaries.
“I have written to the PS to explain the formula used to distribute these funds. I want him to tell us how much is owed to farmers in the two factories and how it is going to be cleared,” he said. The MP asked the workers to remain calm as a solution to the issue is being sought.
Chemelil Sugar Company Workers Union Chairman Fredrick Otago said it was unfair for the government distribute the funds unfairly, yet all the workers have gone for years without pay. “We will accept the little that has been offered but we are not happy and we want the government to relook at this matter and clear our dues,” he said.
The sentiments were echoed by the Kenya Union of Sugarcane Plantation and Allied Workers General Secretary Francis Wangara who said the government must top up the amount so that all the factories get Sh150 million each. “We want the amount allocated to Nzoia Sugar to be used as a benchmark so that all the state owned millers receive a similar, amount which is equivalent to three months’ salary arrears,” said the MP.
The workers have undergone untold suffering having gone for years without pay, he noted, adding that the union will not relent until the total debt amounting to Sh. 5.3 billion is cleared.
Failure to which, he warned, the union will move to court to stop the proposed leasing of the factories.