Farmers in South Nyanza are demanding urgent action from Members of Parliament to fast-track the release of Ksh 375 million arrears owed to them for cane deliveries to the former Sony Sugar Company. The funds were allocated through a supplementary budget, but farmers say they have been waiting for over a year without pay.
Speaking in Awendo, South Nyanza Farmers and Business Community Network Chairperson Evans Felix Otieno expressed frustration at what he termed government inaction despite repeated promises from the Ministry of Agriculture.
“We were told the money would be released in July this year, but nothing has come through, and our patience is running out,” he said.
The Network’s Secretary General, Sylvester Wasonga, urged the Budget and Appropriations Committee chaired by Samuel Atandi, alongside MPs from sugar belt constituencies in Migori County, to act with speed. He warned that if the money is not released by September 31, 2025, farmers will have no choice but to go on strike.
The delayed payments have left thousands of cane farmers and local businesses reeling, with many struggling to meet daily expenses, school fees, and farm inputs. Farmers argue that the arrears must be cleared to restore confidence in the sector and motivate them to continue cane farming.
The situation comes just months after South Nyanza Sugar Company Limited was officially handed over to a new investor, Busia Sugar Limited, in May 2025. The firm, owned by businessman Ali Ahmed Taib, won an international tender floated by the National Government earlier this year.
Under the lease agreement, Busia Sugar Limited will operate the Awendo-based mill for the next 30 years, with the hope of reviving the once-vibrant sugar industry in the region. However, stakeholders fear that without clearing outstanding farmer arrears, the transition may not achieve its intended impact.
The farmers now look to Parliament and the Ministry of Agriculture to honor their pledges and prevent a looming crisis in the sugar belt.
