Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga criticised the sugar deal that Kenya struck with Uganda saying it would hurt Kenya’s economy at a time the debt-ridden Mumias Sugar cannot pay its farmers. PHOTO | FILE
What you need to know:
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga said the deal would hurt Kenya’s economy at a time the debt-ridden Mumias Sugar cannot pay its farmers.
President Kenyatta and his counterpart Yoweri Museveni entered into an agreement allowing cheap Ugandan sugar into the Kenyan market while clearing the way for Kenyan beef traders to export to Uganda under similar terms.
Opposition politicians have criticised the trade deals that Kenya struck with Uganda during a three-day State visit that President Uhuru Kenyatta concluded on Monday.
Former Prime Minister Raila Odinga said the deal would hurt Kenya’s economy at a time the debt-ridden Mumias Sugar cannot pay its farmers.
“It seems reckless of the government to put money into a struggling sugar firm then proceed to sign a deal whose effect will be to flood the market with cheap imported sugar,” he said.
President Kenyatta and his counterpart Yoweri Museveni entered into an agreement allowing cheap Ugandan sugar into the Kenyan market while clearing the way for Kenyan beef traders to export to Uganda under similar terms.
Kakamega Senator Boni Khalwale said such deals ought to have gone through consultations involving principal secretaries of the two states, followed by the Council of Ministers and finally the Summit involving the EAC member states.
Public scrutiny
“Uganda does not have excess sugar to export to the EAC, let alone Comesa. If it did, then the sugar we have at Busia and Malaba would be coming from Uganda, which is not the case,” said Dr Khalwale.
Mr Odinga asked Mr Kenyatta to make public the entire bilateral trade agreement for public scrutiny.
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