Mutahi Kagwe: Sugar Sector Reforms Safe Amid Proposed Amendments

• National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula has backed sugarcane farmers opposing proposed amendments to the Crops Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026.
• Farmers are concerned that the proposed changes would weaken farmer representation and deny growers control over institutions created to safeguard their interests.
• Elections for growers representatives to the Kenya Sugar Board are expected to proceed as scheduled on September 5, 2026.

The law requires elections, and that is what we are going to do.

The sugar sector in Kenya is facing a potential setback as proposed amendments to the Crops Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026 threaten to dilute reforms aimed at empowering growers and reviving the industry. The bill's provisions have sparked opposition from sugarcane farmers, who argue that they would weaken farmer representation and deny growers control over institutions created to safeguard their interests. At the heart of the controversy is a proposal to replace elections of growers directors with appointments, which farmers claim would undermine the democratic process established by the Sugar Act. The Kenya National Federation of Sugarcane Farmers (KNFSF) has been at the forefront of the opposition, petitioning Parliament to reject the proposed changes and instead support the existing law that ensures growers elect their representatives to the Kenya Sugar Board.

The dispute over the sugar sector reforms has seen Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe play a key role in mediating between the government and farmers. According to sources, consultations between Kagwe and the KNFSF led to an agreement that elections for growers representatives to the Kenya Sugar Board would proceed as scheduled. The election date is expected to be gazetted, with farmers agreeing to hold the polls on September 5, 2026 after allowing the statutory period for public notice and candidate vetting. This development has been seen as a significant step towards resolving the dispute and ensuring that farmers have a greater say in the management of their industry.

Another contentious issue in the proposed amendments is the transfer of the Sugar Development Levy (SDL) to the Commodities Fund. Farmers argue that this move would make it more difficult for them to access affordable financing, as sugarcane farming requires a dedicated financing mechanism due to its long crop maturity period. The KNFSF has urged Parliament to reject this proposal and instead allow the SDL to remain under the Sugar Development Levy account to finance sugar sector development directly. This would ensure that farmers have greater control over their resources and can access funding that matches their production cycle.

Lawyers and compliance officers should watch for the upcoming elections of growers representatives to the Kenya Sugar Board, which could impact farmer representation and control over institutions created to safeguard their interests.

Source: Original reporting via The Daily Nation