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Kenya: Minister Defends Sh24 Billion Sugar Project
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The Nation (Nairobi)
2 July 2008
Posted to the web 2 July 2008
Mwaniki Wahome
Nairobi
The Government on Tuesday strongly defended the integrated sugar project in Tana River and blamed sugar importers for the current controversy.
Speaking in his office, Regional Authorities minister Fred Gumo said sugar importers were part of a wider scheme to derail the Sh24 billion sugar project to be undertaken by Mumias Sugar and Tana and Athi River Development Authority (Tarda).
"The sugar importers are frustrating this project. We can not keep on importing sugar when we can grow it here because of vested interests of a few," Mr Gumo said.
However, he said, there were a few local people who were against the project and he would visit the area next week for further consultations on the issues they are raising.
"I have had consultations with the project investors and I am convinced beyond any reasonable doubt that the local people are in full support of the project." he said.
Critics have raised issues of the project's environmental impact, land ownership and water balances. Mr Gumo said Tarda was allocated the 28,000 hectares by the county council in 1980s and title deed issued in 1995.
He said the land was thereafter put after rice production, which collapsed in 1997 following the El Nino floods. The project, he said, will include 4000 ha owned by outgrowers, and would not displace any people as some critics had pointed out.
Mr Gumo said Tarda and Mumias Sugar company conducted a study in July 2007 including the environmental impact assessment and a further study was also conducted by National Environmental Management Authority (Nema) which gave the project a go-ahead.
"Nema issued a certificate giving the project a clean bill of health" Mr Gumo said. He said among the benefits of the project was creation of 20,000 jobs, increase in national sugar production and earning the country foreign exchange.
The minister said the issue of water balance will be catered for by two huge reservoirs at Masinga dam and Kiambere dam.
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On reduction of grazing land, Mr Gumo said, the Government had set aside 200,000 acres at Galana ranch for grazing during the dry spells.
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