BUNGOMA, Kenya – Key Western Kenya leaders have hit out at critics of the planned revival of Nzoia Sugar Company, accusing them of exploiting the factory’s troubled past for political gain ahead of the 2027 elections.
Speaking during a series of development tours in Bungoma County, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, Governor Kenneth Lusaka, and area MPs defended the government’s decision to lease the ailing sugar mill to a private investor, saying the move is essential for restoring livelihoods in the region.
“The revival of Nzoia is real. The investor is here, and already, people have started making noise,” said Speaker Wetang’ula during a commissioning event at Cardinal Otunga Girls’ High School.
“There are politicians inciting farmers, yet they don’t even grow sugarcane. Eugene Wamalwa has never farmed groundnuts, let alone cane. Let us focus on progress, not selfish politics.”
The Speaker, accompanied by local leaders, cautioned that continued politicization of the leasing plan could derail much-needed reforms to the factory, which was once a key economic pillar in Bungoma County.
Kanduyi MP John Makali, whose constituency hosts the sugar firm, likened the community’s current anticipation to that of an expectant mother.
“Nzoia must be revived. Farmers must be paid, workers must be paid, and it must remain a heritage of Bungoma,” he said.
Governor Lusaka, addressing concerns from former employees and farmers, revealed that KSh7.7 million had already been released to settle dues owed to retirees.
He promised that both workers and farmers would be paid on time under the new leasing model.
“We need Nzoia to work again. The people must benefit,” Lusaka said, calling for patience and support as the government works to implement the revival plan.
Calls for transparency also featured prominently in the day’s remarks.
Former Bumula MP Mwambu Mabonga urged leaders to ensure that the lease agreement between the investor and government is followed to the letter, ensuring farmers benefit directly.
Bungoma Senator Wafula Wakoli condemned unnamed politicians for using “divisive politics” to derail the region’s development agenda.
“Some leaders are only making noise to stay relevant. We must focus on development, not petty politics,” Wakoli said, echoing Wetang’ula’s sentiments that “empty cans make the loudest noise.”
The leaders later presided over a separate ceremony in Mt. Elgon Constituency, where Speaker Wetang’ula laid the foundation stone for the rebuilding of Toroso Primary School.
The KSh55 million project, funded by the M-Pesa Foundation, is part of its “Citizens of the Future” programme aimed at benefiting over three million learners nationwide.
“This is how we build our future—by investing in our children,” said Wetang’ula.
The new school will feature modern facilities, including ECDE and junior secondary classrooms, labs, and an ICT hub.
In an unrelated remark during the tour, the Speaker also warned Kenyans against stirring diplomatic tensions with East African neighbors.
Without naming names, he criticised Kenyan lawyers and activists for what he termed “grandstanding” in regional legal and political spaces, particularly in Tanzania.
“We must be good neighbors. Kenya wants peaceful and respectful relations in the East African Community,” he said.
The leaders vowed to work in unity to uplift Western Kenya’s economy, education, and infrastructure, while urging constituents to focus on long-term progress over short-term political noise.
