From: JEFF
Date: Thu, Nov 5, 2009 at 1:22 AM

BY JEFF OTIENO

Kibos Sugar and Allied industries Ltd has finalized ambitious plans to increase it’s crushing capacity up from 1650 tonnes to a whooping 3500 tonnes per day.

Speaking to farmers and co-operative officials drawn Aldai Division cane growing zones in Chemursoi Primary school during a routine consultation with stakeholders, the Company managing director Raju Channan revealed to ecstatic farmers that plans to scale up the crushing capacity has been concluded and it was now a question of weeks before it’s officially launched.

Brief drama ensued before the marathon farmers meeting when teachers and pupils of Chemursoi primary school confronted the Director to come to their rescue saying that the school had dilapidated administration block which is hazardous to their lives.

Raju immediately responded by donating a staggering Kshs 100,000 as part of his contribution with another Kshs 25,000/= to benefit some 5 bright orphan students from the area.
Mathias rotich the school headteacher could not hide his joy and narrated how the parents have struggled for ages with the school to bring it to the present standards without external support but ran out of steam after the collapse of the once vibrant Miwani Sugar Company.

On squabbles and stalemate bedeviling Miwani, the enraged farmers unanimously endorsed CROSLEY LTD a company associated with one of the Kibos Sugar Directors to revive it for the benefit of the locals.

CROSLEY LTD is said to have quoted an impressive 752 million during last years auction and they are the legitimate title deed holders of the expansive Miwani nucleaus according to government records. Interestingly the machines are differently owned by the government and other stakeholders.

A local influential politician from Nyanza is said to behind the controversy and stalemate to revive the miller. During the bid and thereafter he has been angling himself through a consortium to buy the miller but all infutility to the chagrin of locals who are yawning for ultimate resuscitation.

Key industry players are keenly watching what convincing reasons the government will unleash to deny a potential investor who has shown commitment and capacity to revive the plant.

Kibos Sugar has also gone a notch higher by finalizing its co-generation plans in a bid to diversify income and come end of next year it is expected to generate 22megawatts to the national grid.
Currently it generates 3 megawatts for its own internal consumption. “It is true we’ve contracted a consulting firm from overseas to make our dream a reality”, Raju told this journalist.

“At least now we can take our children to school without kneeling before political brokers and unscrupulous CEOS of some sugar factories to be paid our deliveries”, Mzee Kimetich Chepkwony said during the stormy meeting.

Kibos Sugar has for the last six months embarked on an impressive and aggressive payment scheme schedule where farmers are paid weekly albeit to the chagrin of other millers who view their move as tantamount to a coup and incitement.

Raju ordered his agricultural manager who was present during the meeting to harvest mature canes which have taken 24 months in the fields rotting amid applause from farmers.

Kenya Sugar Board Director Nicholas Oricho who is their representative and was in attendance urged Kibos Sugar to continue with their sterling work adding that he will try to lobby his colleagues in the board to extend and olive branch to the miller for cane developments come beginning of next year when the company shall have attained mandatory 2 years in existence as per the rules of Kenya Sugar Board the regulator.

Oricho was however at pains and battled to explain the logic of awarding a staggering 800 million to the under performing and corruption riddled Chemelil sugar for cane development among other things.

“Heckling and street talk will not salvage farmers from the shackles of poverty, give me support and I will deliver more”, Oricho quipped.

He further urged the government to promptly resolve Miwani issue alleging that so far it is to blame for the prevailing confusing and stalemate.

“The ownership of Miwani should be put to rest since I’ve perused everything with the Ministry of lands, what we now need is action from a competent investor to save our people from economic crisis”, Oricho told farmers.

END

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Subject: KIBOS SUGAR SET TO INCREASE CRUSHING CAPACITY