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{
    "id": 1561461,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1561461/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 249,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. James K’Oyoo (",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Muhoroni Sugar Company under receivership, Nzoia Sugar Company, South Nyanza Sugar Company, and Mumias Sugar Company, where the National Treasury is the single largest shareholder. As part of a new revitalisation plan, the Government of Kenya initiated the process of leasing five public sugar mills, namely; Chemelil Sugar Company, Muhoroni Sugar Company in my constituency, Nzoia Sugar Company, South Nyanza Sugar Company and Miwani Sugar Company, also in my constituency, to private investors for purposes of modernisation, efficient management and increased productivity. Whereas the public was assured of a transparent and open process that would meet the expectations and aspirations of stakeholders and Kenyan taxpayers in value addition, the exercise appears to have been driven in extreme secrecy. This has contributed to the failure of the targeted industry to gain operationalisation and stability as envisaged. This has raised concern among farmers in the sugar belt. The outcome of the resolution of the exercise will greatly affect livelihoods dependent on sugarcane farming. It is against this background that I request a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock on the following: 1. The status of the leasing programme for state-owned sugar mills, particularly Muhoroni Sugar Company and Chemelil Sugar Company, and the status of Miwani Sugar Company, which, together with Muhoroni, is under receivership. During the advertisement for the leasing programme, Miwani Sugar Company was listed for leasing but has since been quietly hived out, which is a matter we will address on a later date. 2. The criteria used in tender evaluation regarding the leasing program for Muhoroni and Chemelil sugar companies. Since these are public properties, everything about them should be made public. We want the responsible parties to disclose the programme, make it public, and explain the qualifications, including what was required and why some companies did not meet the threshold in tender evaluation, while some did. 3. The composition of the tender committees that considered the leasing exercise and the recommendations they made. Everything has been done in secrecy. People fear that the political class has hijacked the process and is determining the outcome based on their consideration. As I seek this Statement in Parliament, the constituencies where these factories are located are volatile. Workers are already demonstrating, and farmers are about to join them. The businessmen…"
}