BY MANUEL ODENY
Migori county government and the South Nyanza Sugar Company, a government sugar miller will have a meeting over pending taxes amounting to millions.
According to the law the sugar miller should pay one per cent of each price of a tonne of sugarcane processed at the mill to the county government.
Sources at the Migori county government revenue office said the miller has a pending bill worth Sh75million which is due to the devolved unit.
“We have so far contacted the Sony management to find an impasse on how the amount should be paid, what is there is normal revenue procedure which should not be politicised,” Migori county secretary Oscar Olima said.
Olima spoke to Nyanza News over the phone on Tuesday.
He said the process of the county to collect the cess was in normal procedure and said the source of revenue will go along way in helping maintain roads around sugarcane growing region.
“There is no standoff between the county and the miller, we have already contacted the management and we will have a meeting to clear on the way forward on how the pending revenue is cleared,” he said.
He was reacting to a joint press conference by the company Managing Director Martine Dima and its board chair Jared Kopiyo at the company premises on Monday.
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The two said county revenue enforcement officers have been harassing the miller through impounding of vehicles which has caused slow down of operations.
Kopiyo said they were working closely with Migori county government to bring to an end the impasse saying for the past over three years the company had failed to pay cess which had accumulated.
“But going on we are promptly paying the cess as we find ways of paying what had accrued before,” Kopiyo said.
He said the pending amount was taken up by the pending bills committee in the national government and they are waiting for the way forward on how to clear it.
“Once the committee approves the mode of payment to either treasury, the company or the ministry we will act promptly,” Kopiyo said.
Kopiyo complained that county staff have been following company vehicles, tractors and motorbikes and harassing them which has stifled operations.
“We have drivers who refuse to go to work over harassment, we would wish to end the stalemate with Migori and ensure we have smooth operations,” he said.
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He said they ask for amnesty and leniency from Migori as the company is struggling to be back to optimum operations soon.
Kenya Federation of Sugarcane Farmers secretary general at Sony branch Argwings Adongo said the two institutions should quickly meet and find an amicable solution and a way forward on how the amount should be paid promptly.
“We wish to have the matter addressed on time to stop it being thrown into political arena,” Adongo said.
Hinting on the standoff Dima said they have been meeting with stakeholders who owe the company like auctioneers and advocates to device ways of settling debts.
Dima said the company has a budget which is often approved by the board and audited by the ministry and despite challenges faced will ensure operation go on smoothly.
