The Kakamega County government will establish a fund in the upcoming supplementary budget to cater for cane development in the area.
Governor Wycliffe Oparanya said that the fund will work at a budget of sh.100, 000 per hectare of cane in an effort to revamp planting of the crop that has gone down in the last three years.
Oparanya said this will be done alongside reorganization of agribusiness in the County, with a full department to oversee cane development.
The governor was speaking at Bomani grounds in Mumias town, when he led leaders and residents of the area in the unveiling of Kakamega County Task force report, on protection of public assets and the revival of Mumias Sugar Company.
He noted that the collapse of the sugar industry in the county had left farmers economically impoverished and increased the rate of crime in the area, thus the need to work out strategies of reviving sugar cane growing and subsequent production of sugar by the Mumias sugar factory.
The governor said that public assets at Mumias sugar comprising of 4,294 hectares of land, under the nucleus were at the risk of vandalism and encroachment, thus the need to be protected by all stakeholders in the sugar sector.
He noted that the recent advertisement by Mumias sugar to lease out the public land to other users put the land at risk, as the land has factory plant, housing estate, sugarcane plantations, schools and social amenities.
The 15 member Task Force was appointed by the Governor in May this year to look into ways of reviving Mumias Sugar Company and to prevent misuse of public assets that belong to the government and the company.
He commended members of the Task force led by the county executive for Trade, Kassim Were for completing the task assigned to them in good time.
The Governor said that the County government will appoint a caretaker committee to oversee the implementation of the Taskforce report.
Leaders present were, Benjamin Washiali (MP for Mumias West), the Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, the County Women representative Elsie Muhanda, and Nominated Senator, Naomi Shiyonga among others.
By Catherine Nyongesa
