Perennial wrangles that have bedeviled the management of Uyoma Famers Cooperative Society in Rarieda Sub County for many years could soon be a thing of the past after the society held a successful election to establish a new office.
According to the area Cooperative Officer, Mrs. Mary Muyoyo who supervised the elections, the new office established by the society comprises individuals from the two warring factions who resolved to make peace for the good of cotton farming in the region.
The two factions have been claiming to be bonafide office bearers of the society a situation that has seen farmers in the region known for high cotton yields abandon cotton farming over lack of leadership and claims of embezzlement of funds.
Muyoyo who spoke to the media said the wrangles in the cotton society have been a major hinderance for cotton production in the region.
She expressed confidence that the society has restored its direction after the battling parallel teams shelved their difference to hold the first election in five years.
In May this year, the Siaya County Cooperative Director, Samuel Wambisa appointed an interim office to manage the society pushing aside the two warring factions after reports of financial irregularities emerged.
Muyoyo said that the peaceful election and a well managed society will see famers rip maximum benefit from farming and therefore urged farmers consider investing in cotton farming now that sanity has been restored.
The officer on the other hand challenged the new office holders to take up their role of ensuring they jump-start the society operations by bringing farmers together to boost production.
Muyoyo assured that the farmers that the crop is now lucrative and has ready market following the anticipated revival of Kicomi Cotton factory in Kisumu town.
In May this year, the government announced that it will set up centres of excellence in Nyanza region to spearhead revival of cotton industry with Uyoma in Rarieda Sub County earmarked as one of the beneficiaries of the shs 1.2 billion World Bank funding.
The Uyoma Farmers Cooperative Society will now be run by Isaac Matthew as the new chairman, Henry Ouko- assistant chair, Zedekiah Adul-secretary and Prisca Otieno as the new treasurer.
By Brian Ondeng
