Court Blocks Six New Sugar Board Directors

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

Samuel Otieno

28 July 2011

The high court has stopped the gazzettment of the six newly elected sugar board directors, following a petition by farmers and some aspirants citing electoral malpractices and gender imbalance.

While issuing the ruling filed ex parte by petitioners Milka Adhiambo Otieno and Betty Chepchirchir on behalf of the Ministry of Agriculture against the Attorney General, Kisumu high court judge Abida Ali Aroni stopped the gazettement and recognising of the all purported winners in the six electoral areas.

The electoral areas are Nzoia, Busia-Mumias, Sony-Gucha-Transmara, Chemelil-Nandi-Miwani, Soin-Muhoroni and West Kenya sugar zones. The six directors whose gazzetement has been temporarily stopped are Saulo Busolo for Nzoia whose election was also challenged at the Kakamega high court, Billy Wanjala for Mumias, Kipturus Kirior for Muhoroni, Zachary Obado for Sony, Nicholas Oricho for Nandi and Ewing Makhakha for West Kenya.

The high court also ordered 3rd respondent Nicholas Oricho from assuming office as the growers’ representative for the Nandi Chemelil zone pending hearing and full determination of the case. The court orders were issued on Tuesday after the two complainants went to court challenging the gender representation of the Kenya Sugar Board saying it is against the constitution that gives women a third representation.

They said farmers from some polling centres like Chemase never voted due to violence, and that presiding officer did not post officials to those areas to oversee the election.

The farmers want the court to revoke the election of the directors pending a fresh exercise. They also warned the Ministry of Agriculture to ensure that the election is repeated, failure to which they will mobilise farmers to boycott delivering cane to the factories and paralyse operations. The case will be heard on the August 4.

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