Kenya forms multi-stakeholder committee to revive Kwale sugar factory
The government plans to settle farmer debts and address land disputes as part of efforts to revive the long-idled sugar mill.
KENYA – Kenya has formed a multi-stakeholder committee to spearhead the reopening of Kwale International Sugar Company Limited (KISCOL) after years of closure.
The factory’s revival is expected to restore thousands of livelihoods, increase local sugar production and reduce Kenya’s reliance on imported sugar.
The committee, led by the Kenya Sugar Board, will bring together representatives from the national government, the Kwale County Government, investors, farmers, security agencies and community leaders to address the challenges that have prevented the factory from resuming operations.
Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced the initiative during an inspection of the factory, irrigation facilities, plantations and outgrower farms.
“This visit is not about politics. It is about the lives and livelihoods of the people of Kwale. A factory is only important because of the people whose lives it transforms,” Kagwe said.
The minister described KISCOL as one of Kenya’s most significant sugar investments, highlighting its modern processing infrastructure, irrigated plantations and extensive network of outgrower farmers.
According to Kagwe, the integrated sugar complex has the capacity to process thousands of tonnes of sugarcane daily while supporting employment opportunities in agriculture, transportation, irrigation, equipment maintenance, retail trade and manufacturing.
The government also believes the facility could strengthen value-added production through the manufacture of molasses, ethanol and electricity generated from bagasse.
Kagwe said reopening the factory would provide a dependable market for sugarcane farmers while strengthening domestic sugar production.
He noted that the difficulties facing the company extend beyond financing and include land disputes, insufficient cane supplies, vandalism, delayed payments to farmers and security concerns.
As part of the recovery strategy, the government announced plans to settle approximately Kes 66 million owed to farmers to restore confidence among growers and encourage increased cultivation.
The cabinet secretary also urged local communities to protect sugarcane fields and irrigation infrastructure from destruction.
In addition, Kagwe called on the Kwale County Government to accelerate the resettlement of approximately 15,000 squatters occupying nearly 7,000 acres of land belonging to the factory.
“We have seen what cooperation can achieve in other sugar-growing regions. When Government, investors and communities work together, factories reopen, production increases and farmers begin earning again. Kwale can achieve the same success,” he said.
Kagwe added that the newly formed committee would develop a comprehensive framework defining the responsibilities of all stakeholders while ensuring that farmers remain central to the revival programme.
Once fully operational, KISCOL is expected to stimulate economic growth across Kenya’s Coast region through increased agricultural production, employment creation and investment in related industries.
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