BY MANUEL ODENY
Two allies of former Migori governor Okoth Obado are said to be eyeing the forthcoming Kenya Sugar Board elections, a position which launched former county boss political career.
Earlier this week, President William Ruto excited the sugarcane sector when he signed the Sugar Act 2024, which among other benefits, will bring back the board.
So far the country recorded 832,000 tonnes of sugar produced last year which points a point where Kenya will have surplus production and exporter.
Ruto said measures outlined in the 2019 Sugar Taskforce he assented to the Sugar Act 2024 that establishes sugarcane catchment areas to better manage supply, synchronise milling operations and improve efficiency.
Obado was a principal at Chung’e Secondary School where he resigned in the 2007 general election for Uriri MP seat where he flopped, but joined sugar politics in the region where he was appointed Kenya Sugar Board chairman in November 2010, a position he held until 2016.
Already Obado former executive Isca Oluoch, who vied for the Awendo MP seat in last general elections and his political advisor Denis Orero are said to be eyeing the seat.
Nyanza News editorial team on first survey of Sukari Industries in Homa Bay, Sony Sugar in Migori and Mara Sugar in Narok counties had the two names coming up.
When Nyanza News contacted Orero he was coy, as the vacancy for the board will start taking effect in three months time but said he draws his political inspiration from Obado who started his political journey in the sugarcane politics before he rose to the Kenya Sugar Board chairman position.
“We worked with Obado while he was at the board, worked with farmers in both Homa Bay and Migori counties as a farmer and in leadership which gives me extensive experience,” Orero said.
He said as a sugarcane farmer and a grassroot political mobiliser he will never allow the seat to be taken by someone who doesn’t understand the plight of the sector.
Oluoch who still has ambition to unseat Walter Sirawa as Awendo MP in 2027 after a grueling campaigns, refused to directly comment on the interest.
“I grew up in cane growing area which ensured i went to school and it has been a backbone of the South Nyanza region economy either directly or indirectly, that is why we laud these recent moves,” she said.
She outlined the benefits of the new law saying the board will be key in giving sugarcane farmers voice in the sector on pricing, infrastructure development, research and welfare.
Another name being mentioned in the race is former Homa Bay deputy governor Hamilton Orata.
Mr. Orero Denis stands better chance of helping this sector being that he is from Sugar belt region that is Ndhiwa constituency which borders Awendo Constituency, Uriri and Nyatike these 3 constituency are the major boostes for both Sony and Sukari Industry, again he also worked in Migori county for than 8 years where he was directly interacting with these farmers on daily basis.