Chemelil Sugar Factory is no longer just about sweet crystals; it’s now the epicentre of a bitter showdown! On Tuesday, furious workers downed their tools and lit the fire of rebellion, protesting what they call a raw deal cooked up in the backrooms of government and private boardrooms.
At the heart of the storm? A controversial leasing deal has handed the beloved Nyanza-based factory to Kibos Sugar and Allied Companies. Workers are calling foul, claiming the move not only slices their pay cheques but also strips them of their hard-earned rights.
Imagine working for months without a single coin, only to be told your salary is being slashed to 45%—yes, forty-five percent! If that wasn’t enough, the deal also proposes the abolition of their union. No voice. No negotiations. No power. Just silence.
“We’ve built this factory with our sweat, and now they want to dump us like bad sugarcane,” one worker shouted, as chants echoed through the gates of Chemelil.
And the news gets grimmer: operational shifts are being axed, meaning over 430 workers are staring at the sack. The workers aren’t taking it lying down. They’re demanding a seat at the table, insisting that any leasing deal must put people before profit.
This isn’t just a Chemelil crisis; it’s part of a bigger storm brewing across Western Kenya’s sugar belt. Muhoroni, Nzoia, Sony… the list grows, and so does the outrage. Locals and workers say they’ve been locked out of decisions, with politically connected giants swooping in for the spoils.
From whispers of corruption to cries of betrayal, one thing’s clear: the sugar industry is boiling over, and the workers are ready to fight for every grain of justice.