Sugarcane farmers in Western Kenya are grappling with numerous challenges, many of which stem from their dealings with the Rai family’s dominance in the sugar industry.
The Rai family, which controls West Kenya Sugar Company and other major factories, has been accused of perpetuating unfair practices, leading to significant losses for farmers.
These include delayed payments, fraudulent contracts, and unexplained deductions from their earnings.
These issues are rarely addressed by local leaders, who are believed to have been silenced by the influence and wealth of the Rai family.
A case that recently came to light revealed the systemic exploitation that farmers face.
A farmer won a legal battle against West Kenya Sugar Company after it was discovered that the company had used fraudulent contracts to steal from him.
The company had forged the farmer’s signature and that of his late brother to create false contracts, claiming the farmer owned additional land.
West Kenya Sugar then billed the farmer for services provided to these imaginary farms, ultimately wiping out all his earnings.
The Milimani Small Claims Court ruled in favor of the farmer in July 2024, stating that the contracts were fraudulent and unenforceable.
This type of exploitation is not an isolated incident.
Many sugarcane farmers in the region have reported similar experiences.
The company is known to inflate the cost of services, such as transport and maintenance, and often reduces the weight of sugarcane during the weighing process without the farmers’ knowledge.
Farmers are frequently billed for services they never received, and some have even reported having to bribe factory employees to have their sugarcane harvested or loaded for transport.
Despite the widespread nature of these issues, local politicians and leaders have done little to advocate for the farmers.
When one farmer, Evans Chune, reached out to Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale on social media to ask for assistance with sugarcane prices and delayed payments, the senator’s response was dismissive, indicating that no help would be forthcoming.
This has fueled suspicions that political leaders in the region have been bribed to remain silent on the injustices faced by sugarcane farmers.
The Rai family’s control over the sugar industry extends beyond West Kenya Sugar.
The family owns four of Kenya’s major sugar factories: West Kenya, Sukari, Naitiri, and Olepito.
Their dominance allows them to manipulate sugar prices and maintain control over the supply chain, often at the expense of farmers.
This power was evident in the 2018 contaminated sugar import scandal, in which the family was implicated.
Despite being called to testify before a parliamentary committee, the scandal was swept under the rug, with no significant consequences for the Rai family.
Given the scale of exploitation and corruption within the sugar industry, many are calling for the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) to intervene.
Farmers have lost faith in their leaders and have little hope for justice unless law enforcement steps in to investigate the fraudulent practices carried out by companies like West Kenya Sugar.
Setting up a complaints desk at the factory could be one way to provide farmers with a platform to report these malpractices, but without decisive action from the DCI or other authorities, the farmers’ suffering is likely to continue.
The plight of sugarcane farmers in Western Kenya highlights the intersection of corporate greed, political corruption, and the vulnerabilities of rural communities.
The Rai family’s monopolistic control over the industry has created a system where farmers are systematically exploited, with little recourse for justice.
In the absence of political will to address these issues, it remains uncertain how long the farmers will have to endure these hardships.
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