BY JEFF OTIENO
Kericho District Commissioner Samwel Njora was heckled and almost confronted by a group of enraged farmers of SOIN Zone when he tried to impress upon them to take canes to Government owned millers- Chemelil and Muhoroni factories.
The DC who had convened the meeting to bring harmony, following a recent standoff pitting security agents and farmers who were ferrying their canes to other favourite millers instead of the government preferred (Chemelil and Muhoroni) got a rude shock of his life.
It took a quick intervention of former cabinet minister Kipngeno Arap Ngeny and local councilors to cool the flaring tempers before the meeting could proceed.
After two hour standoff the meeting kicked off with speaker after speaker castigating the apparently confused and indecisive D.C for being arrogant and partisan in resolving the ragging Zonal dispute bedeviling the rival millers Kibos, moribund Muhoroni and Chemelil
The two millers have castigated Kibos Sugar and Allied Workers Company Ltd for encroaching in their zones.
Kibos pays a whopping Kshs.3,500 per tonne weekly, Muhoroni pays Kshs. 3,150 while Chemelil pay Kshs. 3,100 per tonne. And again to angle themselves well to farmers, Kibos has installed another waybridge to salvage the farmers neck from the rigours of transport and to also avert spillage in Awasi Township.
Resilient Kibos has further installed a waybridge in Kibigori Nandi County which is nearing completion and will start operating in early July.
“ Bwana DC this is a liberalized market and there’s a new world order how dare are you to coerse us to take our canes to your favourite outfits” Councilor Balala from Chemase thundered a mid applause from the agitated crowd.
Kenya Sugar Board Directors Nicholas Oricho and David Kodongo whose areas are marooned by the zonal feuds and were also present took issue with the D.C. for being partisan in solving the prevailing wrangles.
Mr. Njora who could be seen sweating and unsettled during the three hours volatile period ultimately apologized to the crowd and said he was misled by his feelers who dint mention.
END