Nairobi — The meeting at Miwani in Kisumu, meant to discuss plot subdivision, fencing, beaconing, and murram grading, was cut short after farmers protested the move.
Sugarcane farmers in Miwani have strongly opposed a proposed residential development on over 100 acres of farmland, calling for the preservation of the area’s agricultural heritage.
The opposition arose during a public participation forum on Tuesday organized by environmental consultants on behalf of Safaricom Investment Cooperative Society, which recently acquired the land.
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The meeting at Miwani in Kisumu, meant to discuss plot subdivision, fencing, beaconing, and murram grading, was cut short after farmers protested the move.
Led by Zedekiah Otene, the farmers argued that the land is designated for agriculture, specifically sugarcane farming and that there has been no official change of use.
They also criticized the public participation process, claiming it was poorly publicized and did not comply with Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) regulations.
“This is agricultural land, and there is no change of use. We reject this exercise in totality,” Otene declared.
Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries (KSAIL), one of the major beneficiaries of sugarcane from the contested land, backed the farmers’ stance.
The company’s Group Corporate Affairs Manager, Joyce Opondo, said the land produces approximately 40,000 tons of sugarcane annually, equivalent to 4,000 tons of domestic sugar, playing a vital role in job creation, tax revenue, and foreign exchange.
Opondo warned that allowing residential development would set a dangerous precedent, encouraging the conversion of more agricultural land into residential estates.
“Even as the government works to provide affordable housing in urban areas, it is also working to protect agricultural land from fragmentation,” she emphasized.
Residents who attended the forum echoed these concerns. Michael Ngeso, a local, stated that the developer should focus only on agricultural use, not on subdividing land for housing.
“Safaricom can engage in any agricultural activity, but not turn the land into residential plots,” he said.
Farmers also raised concerns over the apparent rush to conduct the forum despite the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) not yet issuing an EIA license for the project.
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The farmers declined to complete the questionnaires handed out by the consultants.
They urged NEMA to uphold the government’s Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA) by protecting vital agricultural zones, which they say are key to ensuring food security and economic stability.
In a final appeal, the farmers called on Safaricom to reconsider the project, saying, “Let them withdraw from this project and allow the government to focus on food and cash crop production for the good of the nation.”
