Business feature By Leo Oder Omolo in Homa-Bay Town.
Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno has come under the scathing criticism by the residents of Homa-Bay county for allegedly gross interference and trying to sabotage the planned multi billion white sugar Mill in the region
The resident are up in arms against the MP’s alleged maneuvers and canvassing against the Ministry of Agriculture and the Kenya Sugar Board recent approval of a the license for the establishment of the new sugar mill in parts of Rangwe constituency in Homa-BAY County
The residents of both Homa-BAY, Migori and Kisii Counties which stands to benefit a great deal from the planned sugar mill have vowed to petition President Uhuru Kenyatta to plead with him to intervene and ensure that the investors for the project are issued with the license as soon as possible.
The new white sugar mill ‘output when fully operational is expected to be 3000 metric tone of made sugar per day. Its construction cost is estimated to be around Kshs 4.6 billion. The new factory will offer job opportunities for close to 2,500 workers on direct employment while similar number of farmers will also benefit from their sugar cane products as out growers in the region covering Homa-Bay, Kisii and Migori counties.
The criticism of the Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno has come as the result of the recent visit by the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Felix Kosgei. The CS toured the region on July 6th. Kosgei was accompanied by the CEO of the Kenya Sugar Board Rosemary MKOK, Rngqwe MP George Oner two representatives of Homa-Bay and Migori County governments and a large number of cane farmers from Rongo,Rangwe and Southern Kisii regions. Kisi regions.
The CS led the group on a visit to the site of the proposed new sugar mill at Aoch Muga in south Gem location, Rangwe constituency in Homa-Bay county. ALso present at the public BARAZA WHICH WAS Addressed by the CS Kosgei were the representatives of the investors the entrepreneurs from Kisumu.
Kosegei disclosed at the meeting that application for the new mill would be approved. The CS said this after listening with his own ears what the residents, especially the potential out growers.
Kosgei advised the residents of the affected areas to shun politics and redouble their efforts in growing more sugar cane, and that he was satisfied that the people were yawning for the new mill to start its production the soonest.
The CSe promised that he wold write a letter of approval to the relevant authority when he get back to his Nairobi office.
However, following the publication of of news about the planned new sugar mill in the local media, the Rongo MP Dalmas Otieno is alleged to have started an aggressive canvassing with the higher echelon snd government offices and allegedly trying hard to sabotage the project under the pretext that he should be the one who should be given a license for establishing the new sugar mill in the area.
His is one song which the Rongo MP has been singing for the last 15 years, but he has never come forward with a tangible plan and a written application for the same. A source at the Nairobi offices of the KENYA sugar Board confided to this writer that their office has not received any application from Dalmas Otieno nor have received from any from any company Associated with him.
DALMAS Otieno IS CURRENTLY FACING LEAN TIME HAVIG RECENTLY DISAGREED WITH EH odm leader Raila Odinga might find it an up-hill task to initiate any sugar mill project even in his own Rongo constituency.
According to the ODM chairman in the Migori County branch Eng. Phillip Makabong’o
The Homa-Bay ‘s proposed new sugar mil has received the blessing of both Homa-Bay governor Cyprian Awiti and the Migori governor Ok0t Obado. And when operational, the mill will receive and crush 90 per cent of its row sugar cane from within Homa-Bay County with small percentage of raw materials from Migori and Southern Kisii farmers per cent from with the same percentage from out growers cane farmers from Southern Kisiii regions.
How can he come out full blast trying to stop this noble and important project which is aimed at empowering the community economically?
The MP had earlier announced for the formation of a new political movement called Kalausi, which has so far failed to take off from the ground.
Eng Makabong’o declared that Otieno is no longer ODM and the process to have him kicked out of Parliament is under way He termed the alleged MP’S interference in the proposed sugar mill project twould be a political suicide for him.
ends