Photo by Dominic Cheres/KNA.
The Principal Secretary for Industrialization, Ms. Betty Maina has formed an eight man committee to look into the affairs of the troubled Roret pineapple plant in Bureti Sub-County Kericho County.
The PS who was addressing the Roret pineapple farmers asked the committee to give back a report within two months. The committee will among other things identify and advice on the way forward to revive the ailing pineapple factory.
Ms. Maina said that the government through the Constituency Development Fund (CDF), Kericho County government, Kenya Industrial Research and Development Institute (KIRDI) and Danish International Development Agency, (DANIDA) had injected millions of shillings and the national government would want the project start soon.
The PS said that the committee will be co-chaired by the Bureti DCC and the KIRDI assistant Director, J Chelule.
The industrialization PS said that they were visiting the site on a fact finding mission in a bid to unravel the mystery surrounding the failure of the factory to take off now 10 years since its inception.
The Kericho Deputy Governor, Ms. Susan Kikwai said that her County government had set aside Sh. 30 million towards the revival of the project.
The Bureti MP, Japheth Kiptergech Mutai assured the pineapple farmers that the project would be operationalized under his watch and urged the local and area residents to allow the committee that has been formed to work out the modalities geared towards the unit’s revival so that farmers can start reaping its benefits.
On the national front, the legislator said that the ongoing talks on the anticipated referendum to change the constitution is not in their agenda as they are busy implementing the four presidential pillars aimed at improving the livelihood of Kenyans.
By Dominic Cheres/Langat
