Was Mumias Brought Down By Fake Sugarcane Farmers?

The woes at Mumias Sugar Company continue after it emerged that there exists a curtail of fake cane farmers. The troubled miller has been on its knees for the past few years after it lacked funds to finance its operations.

Late last month, the government chipped in one billion shillings in an effort to bail the troubled miller out. The money was meant to pay farmers as well as finance operations of the miller and bring it back where it used to be.

However, even before the payment of cane farmers could kick off, it has emerged that there exists fake farmers who have been milking money out of the company through payments for cane that was never delivered.

The situation is so serious that the company has been forced to sort the help of an audit firm, KPMG to audit and scrutinize farmers’ lists and the amount of cane purported to have been delivered by individual farmers.

The auditors will also have to conduct a physical verification of the plots owned by farmers, including taking their measurements so as to establish if indeed the farmers supplied recorded sugarcane to the factory.

This revelation of the existence of fake farmers in Mumias Sugar Company is an important step that will actually help save millions of money that would have otherwise been lost. After the truth is fully established, those found to have been involved should be brought to book and the law should take its cause.

The government has a role to play and should know that we cannot fill a hole by digging another hole. Before giving more money to Mumias, the government should first establish where Mumias’ problems begun.