Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi Thursday called out Wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka for questioning the source of the Sh150 million bonuses issued to cane farmers in Mumias on Monday.
Mudavadi has defended the bonuses issued to the farmers saying it is their hard-earned money which signals a new beginning in the management of farmers affairs in the sugar sector.
“For many years, tea and coffee farmers have received bonuses for their produce annually. We have not heard anyone raise a voice,” said Mudavadi.
Mudavadi said the government has a proper plan that will ensure farmers in others sugar growing regions also benefit from annual bonuses following a successful inaugural launch that took place at the Mumias Sugar Company.
He said no side shows will distract the government from delivering its promises to Kenyans and more-so farmers who are the backbone of Kenya’s food security and economic stability.
“Why are some leaders like wiper leader Kalonzo Musyoka bitter now when people from the Sugar belt counties of Bungoma, Busia, Kakamega, Vihiga, Kisumu, Nandi, Trans Nzoia, Homa Bay and Narok receive their hard-earned bonuses from their toil?” regretted Mudavadi.
Mudavadi was speaking in Busia County on the fifth day of President William Ruto’s tour of the Western Kenya region.
He warned the the management of Mumias Sugar company and other sugar millers in the region to desist from allowing politics to wag into their daily operations.
He said it is as a result of mismanagement of public resources and swindling of funds through unscrupulous ways by individuals who didn’t mean well for the employees and farmers that has led to the collapse of the Sugar millers like Mumias.
“Some politicians want to stand on grounds of populist politics. They can’t undertake hard decisions like the ones the President is focusing on. This is the reason why they have no idea of where we are getting the funds to pay bonuses to cane farmers.”
“The leaders questioning the whereabouts of cane farmers bonuses are not aware of the suffering these farmers have had to go through and the patience they have displayed until now,” he regretted.
Mudavadi noted that the revamping of the sugar mills across the Sugar belt region will bring good tidings to the investors, farmers, business people and contribute to the growth of the country’s GDP in terms of revenue collection.
The tour also encompassed the inspection of the Nasewa Export Processing zone and the inspection of the Busia County Industrial and Aggregation Park in Matayos constituency and the groundbreaking for the rehabilitation and augmentation of Alupe dam water supply project in Teso South Constituency.
The tour also saw Ruto launch the last mile connectivity at Rerekwe-Siebuka in Nambale Constituency Busia County.
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