Sugarcane farmers in Busia County have agreed on measures that will help to revive Busia Out-growers Company (BOCO) in order to ensure that they benefit from the farming of sugarcane.
Speaking during a sugarcane farmers’ engagement forum at Kisoko in Nambale Sub- County, Mumias Sugar (2021) Limited, Head of Operations and Administration Stephen Kihumba said that the forum resolved to conduct immediate registration of farmers prior to election of new directors.
“We have agreed to immediately do registration in the next two weeks to get a register that will be used during the election of directors. The registration will be done at the nearest chief’s office. The election will be done in the next 21 days so that we get eligible leaders to champion farmers’ affairs,” he said.
Kihumba directed the interim directors to surrender all assets stating that this would help to prevent them from mismanaging the resources as they wait for their exit.
“All BOCO assets including tractors are going to be parked at our weighbridge for the next 21 days. The bank account is going to be frozen until new management comes to office so that the available funds remain safe,” he said.
He said that since his leadership took over the Milling Management, the Company has submitted a total of Sh11.5million to BOCO and also repaired their tractors which are now in operation.
Kihumba further disclosed that for the same period, they have paid a total of Sh18,976,057 million to Busia county government as a remittance of their cess obligation.
The official lauded the farmers’ commitment and effort in cane farming adding that they were the biggest beneficiary from the 2024 bonus paid by the company.
“Farmers from this county received 60 percent of the total bonus paid last year. They received a total of Sh90 million. The top delivering farmer came from this county and delivered 2900 tons,” he said.
Kihumba added that they have made significant contributions to local livelihood where a total of 3677 people have been directly employed by the Company.
“We have initiated and embraced technology in our operations. Our harvesting permits are now available both physically and digitally. When your cane is weighed, you receive a real-time alert confirming your tonnage allowing you to monitor deliveries conveniently from your phone,” he said.
Nambale Deputy County Commissioner Caroline Onchoka urged the farmers to ensure they adhere to the agreed guidelines and ensure there is peace during the process.
“I want all that we have agreed here to be adhered to because all the input has come from you farmers and it is for your well-being. Let us protect our farming and make sure that we benefit from it. The administration is fully involved to ensure that the due process has been followed,’ she said.
Onchoka warned the interim leadership of the BOCO that strict legal action would be taken against them if they interfered with the agreed measures that aimed at ensuring there is sanity and mark an end to long-standing wrangles.
Farmers led by Fobian Omwaro claimed the existing leaders who were illegally in office have caused a lot of suffering to the farmers.
“We want the current leaders to ensure they hand-over everything so that as we wait for the 21 days to elapse, they should not transact any business so that we safeguard our properties. Our tractors have been benefiting 6 people who are in office illegally while the real farmers continue to suffer in poverty,” he said.
Joseph Barasa, another farmer said the existing leadership has been illegally in the office after their agreed time in office on interim basis expired last year.
He lauded the involvement of farmers in finding a solution to BOCO as an action that would enable farmers to benefit from their hard work of farming.
The entity had been faced by leadership wrangles and court cases leading to its inefficacy and suffering of the members.
