As Mumias Sugar Company resumes millings, current and former workers from the company have renewed their calls for payments of arrears amounting to Sh2.3 billion owed to them.
The workers are demanding that Sarrai Group and Kenya Commercial Bank initiate the process of settling their arrears.
They noted that according to a leasing bid agreement signed between Sarrai Group and receiver Managers KCB, Sarrai Group pledged to pay all the creditors both the current and former workers of the company.
The Workers under the Mumias Sugar Factory Workers Association noted that Ugandan Based Investor who took over the state mill was yet to fulfil his pledge to them.
While addressing the Media in Mumias Town, the Chairman of the Association Chairman Patrick Mutimba said that the receiver manager has also not met the workers over the same.
They claimed they have been taken in rounds on who is dealing with their payment and called on other stakeholders to come to their aid.
“It’s unfortunate that workers are out here suffering yet the company is also bringing foreign workers despite having people from the region who can do the same work,” Mutimba said
Henry Kibondori a worker at the factory noted that it was unfortunate that up to now their concerns were not being addressed hence called upon politicians from the region to come to their aid.
He noted that it was unfortunate that the Operations Manager at the company told politicians to keep off the ongoing plans to revamp the miller and play complementary roles.
The operations manager earlier last week told the media that politicians should keep off and give them ample time to actualize the dream of reviving the factory”
However, the workers brushed this off and called on the politician to come to their aid.
“We are asking politicians from Western who care about our plight to come in and help us in this fight. This matter should be solved once and for all,” Kibondori said.
He added that they also have families that must be fed just like other Kenyans, and should not suffer just because their arrears cannot be cleared.
The Mumias Sugar factory workers have vowed to continue demanding their rightfully claimed arrears from Sarrai Group and KCB in addition to fighting for the hiring of local employees instead of imploring human resources from Ugandan and India.
“We will not give up in this fight even if it means going to the factory daily. We are tired and are ready for anything,” said Vitalis Makhoha, Factor worker’s supervisor.
This comes days following a protest by the same workers over the same.
