Tensions ran high on Monday in Bungoma County as top political figures from Western Kenya led a large-scale protest against the government’s controversial decision to lease Nzoia Sugar Company to businessman Jaswant Rai.
The demonstrations, which paralyzed traffic along the busy Webuye–Malava highway, descended into chaos after anti-riot police fired teargas and live ammunition into the air to disperse the agitated crowds.
Hundreds of sugarcane farmers and concerned residents from the region had gathered to express their anger, citing the takeover as illegal and detrimental to the region’s economy.
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The protest was spearheaded by DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa, Trans Nzoia Governor George Natembeya, and former Kakamega Senator Cleophas Malala, who together denounced the move as a blatant violation of a court order issued on April 23.
The court had halted the lease of the state-owned miller to Rai’s West Kenya Sugar Company pending a full hearing.
“This is defiance of a court order. We are here to say, Rai, if you have disregarded the law, you are persona non grata—do not set foot in Nzoia Sugar,” Wamalwa declared, drawing cheers from the crowd before police intervention disrupted the rally.
Attempts by the leaders and protestors to access the factory were blocked by a heavy police presence. The situation escalated quickly as officers fired teargas canisters and warning shots, dispersing the crowd and halting transport along the critical route for several hours.
Governor Natembeya, a staunch critic of the lease deal, accused the government of using privatization as a cover for looting public assets.
“Jaswant Rai failed with Pan Paper in Webuye. Today, it’s a ghost town. Now he wants to ruin Nzoia. If government institutions are failing, should we auction Kenya Airways, KVDA, or even public universities? If anything should be leased, it’s the government itself—not our assets,” Natembeya charged.
Cleophas Malala echoed similar sentiments, condemning the alleged lease terms as a “betrayal” of the region’s people.
“You can’t hand over our land and factory for just KSh 50,000. The court order must be respected. Let the case be heard before any handover,” he said.
Local farmers, many of whom rely on Nzoia Sugar for their livelihoods, also voiced their frustration and fear of economic displacement.
“If Rai takes over, he will close Nzoia. He’ll take our cane to West Kenya and leave us with nothing,” lamented Zacharia Barasa, a veteran cane grower in the area.
The protest follows the government’s formal handover of Nzoia Sugar to West Kenya Sugar Company—despite the ongoing court case. Reports indicate that Rai’s company has already begun assuming control of mill operations.
In a bold warning, Governor Natembeya vowed that political change would bring a reversal of what he termed a “fraudulent takeover.”
“Rai might use police now to gain access, but once we assume leadership at the national level, we will evict him. We cannot be forced to accept an investor who comes only to destroy our property,” he said.
The leaders concluded the day by promising sustained resistance, including more protests and legal action, to safeguard what they describe as one of Western Kenya’s most critical economic lifelines.