Editor's Review

 "In the next two weeks, we will see different situations because we expect a stock of sugar."

President William Ruto has explained why sugar prices have been going up ever since he took over power in September 2022.

Speaking on Wednesday August 2 at State House, the President revealed that he has been reluctant on importing sugar so as not to affect local farmers.

“It’s true the prices have gone up we have been reluctant to work against farmers by opening importation because it has always been a problem in Kenya. Sometimes it has been used to destroy the whole sugar industry,” Ruto stated.

The first in command however said the government has given out licenses for sugar to be imported into the country.

“We have been careful and methodical but finally we have given licenses for the importation of sugar into the country. We started with COMESA sugar but it was not available. As required by the signatories we cannot open sugar to other markets before we start with the COMESA sugar.

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“Now that we have ascertained that there is not sufficient supply, in the COMESA area we have opened globally, and in the next two weeks we will see different situations because we expect a stock of sugar,” said Ruto.

File image of President William Ruto. 

The Head of State at the same time pointed out that there has been chaos in the sugar subsector adding that companies have closed because there is no sugarcane to harvest.

“We have had confusion and chaos in the whole sugar subsector and we are streamlining that sector because it has been riddled with poaching of sugarcane from one corner to another. The reason why many companies have closed shop temporarily is because there is no cane to harvest and they were even harvesting immature cane,” he added.