Kanduyi Member of Parliament John Makali has raised an alarm over billions of shillings in unpaid arrears owed to farmers and former employees of public sugar mills, warning that the government’s delayed payments are pushing families into hardship.

Speaking during the National Assembly Legislative Retreat held in Naivasha on Thursday, the legislator directed his concerns to the National Treasury, demanding a clear timeline for the settling the outstanding debts.

“Last year, the government made a deliberate decision to divest from public sugar mills yet farmers, employees and retirees were left with huge arrears,” he said.

He added, “We appreciate the effort made to clear part of the farmers’ dues, but we still have significant arrears owed to both farmers and workers,”

He singled out Nzoia Sugar Company as one of the most affected mills, revealing that farmers are still owed about Sh63 million while employees are owed approximately Sh1.5 billion in salary arrears.

“As we speak, Nzoia Sugar alone owes farmers Sh63 million and workers about Sh1.5 billion. Some employees who were declared redundant are owed up to 22 months in salary arrears,” he stated.

The MP painted a grim picture of the impact of the delayed payments on families dependent on the sugar sector.

“These are workers with children in school and households to support. Right now, former employees are on the streets demonstrating and picketing, demanding their salary arrears and retirement benefits,” he said.

 Makali urged the Treasury to move with urgency and release the outstanding funds, warning that prolonged delays could destabilize the sugar industry further.

“When exactly is this money going to be paid? The longer it takes, the more suffering it causes to farmers and workers who rely on this sector for survival,” he posed.

The government’s decision to divest from public sugar mills was aimed at revitalizing the struggling sugar industry through private investment. However, the process has been marred by unresolved debts owed to farmers, employees and retirees.

On Thursday, Nzoia sugar company employees staged protests along the busy Webuye- Malaba highway blaming the government’s decision to privatize state-owned sugar mills without clearing their dues.

In their address to the media, the workers stated that they are demanding over 20 months’ salary pay from the mill alleging that the investor who took over the company has not listened to them.