Farmers decry court ruling on sugar factory privatization

Sugar farmers from the western and Nyanza regions have expressed outrage after the high court, under Justice Chacha Mwita, dismissed a petition that challenged the government’s decision to lease four public sugar factories to private companies. Industry players have warned that the move will rob farmers of their bargaining power, leaving them with little control over the price of sugar and exposing them to exploitative private owners who may fail to honour their contractual obligations. However, the government argues that privatizing these sugar millers will improve efficiency, reduce debts, and revitalize the struggling sugar sector, a claim that farmers are deeply skeptical about.