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Sale of five State-owned sugar firms stalls

sugar

Sugarcane transportation. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Efforts to sell five State-owned sugar firms have suffered a blow after Parliament declined to kick start the process citing court cases.

The Committee on Implementation of House Resolutions said despite the Cabinet approving the sale of Nzoia, Sony, Chemilil, Muhoroni and Miwani Sugar factories in October 2010 and the House voting to postpone the exercise in January 2013, the deal cannot continue owing to court cases separately filed by the Council of Governors and local leaders.

“The Committee noted that the Treasury had advertised for the expression of interest on the sale of the said companies as at March, 2016.

It was further noted that there are several suits in court in relation to the matter.

The matter is therefore sub-judice,” Soipan Tuiya, who chairs the committee, said in an end-of-term report.

House rules prohibit committees from dealing with matters in court. The committee is charged with ensuring that House decisions are implemented.