“Kenyans need to be told how this deal benefits our sugar industry, how we will police the Uganda sugar sector to ensure what is exported to Kenya originates from that country and that Kenyan traders do not take advantage to sneak in their own imports,” he said. One of the allegations that suspended Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei faced - and has since been cleared - was the award of sugar-import tenders from Uganda. Kenya’s politicians have raised questions about whether Uganda’s sugar meets the rules of origin, with Lugari MP Ayub Savula describing the neighbouring country as a “net importer of sugar”. It seems reckless of the government to put money into a struggling sugar firm then proceeds sign a deal whose effect will be to flood the market with cheap imported sugar,” he said. “It (the deal for cheaper sugar imports) flies in the face of the government’s stated attempt to revive Mumias Sugar through tax-payer funded bailout. He charged that it was ironical for the Jubilee administration, which injected Sh1 billion to bail out the ailing Mumias Sugar Company, to turn the other way and allow killer pills in the name of cheaper sugar imports from Uganda to finish the miller.
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Sugar cane farmers across the country are equally struggling as a result of lack of payments,” he said. It comes at a time Kenya’s leading sugar manufacturer Mumias Sugar is struggling to get back on its feet. Leading sugar miller, Mumias, he said, is fighting for survival. Mr Odinga warned that importing cheap sugar from Uganda would kill local firms, which are on their knees due to poor management, lack of payment and cane to crush. The agreement, it appeared, was meant to solve the long-standing non-tariff barriers that have impeded exports of beef and dairy products to Uganda while importation of cheap sugar from Kampala has always been hit with questions about the rules-of-origin criteria. They also signed a deal to construct a Sh400 billion pipeline that will transport oil from Albertine to Lokichar in Turkana County. He went on: “We have reason to suspect that personal business interests are colliding with official duty to override propriety and accountability on matters of bilateral trade.”ĭuring his three-day state visit to Uganda, President Kenyatta and President Museveni signed deals to allow importation of cheap sugar to Kenya.įor its part, Uganda agreed to import beef and dairy products from Kenya. The government should equally make public all similar deals signed with other countries,” he said in a statement. “We, therefore, call on the President to make public the entire content of the trade agreement signed with Uganda for scrutiny on how the Kenyan workers, farmers and taxpayers stand to benefit. The ODM leader challenged President Kenyatta to make public the deals he signed with his Uganda counterpart Yoweri Museveni to allow the public to judge their worthiness. In what seemed to be the opposition’s onslaught on business deals that the Jubilee administration has entered into, Mr Odinga claimed secrecy and individual business interests have superseded the national good. He also questioned the pact that allows Kenya to export beef and dairy products to Uganda, arguing that the capacity to produce the two products for local consumption, let alone export, is lacking.
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Cord leader Raila Odinga on Tuesday criticized President Uhuru Kenyatta for inking a sugar importation deal with Uganda, warning it could lead to the total collapse of local millers.