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BY LUKE KAPCHANGA DN/WEBUYE NZOIA 9/3/2005
The Nzoia sugar factory has been closed down following unrest by cane cutters who are protesting the introductions of
contracts in the harvesting section.
The factory stoped operations on Monday when the demostrating cutters roughed up a company employee and set ablaze three
farms as they threatened to become more violent.
Factory manager a MR mulungwa is said to have told workers in the mill to have a rest while they are hoping that matters
were going to stabilise.
Mr Mulungwa is said to have gave instructions to close the mill to stave off the unrest and to re-open when the cutters have
accepted to be hired by sub-contractors.
The nation spotcheck found the cane yard empty with no transporting tractors where seen ferrying the harvested crop.
The cutters who are not direct employees of the company have vowed to distabilise the factory operations until managemnt
drops the idea of having them hired through contracts.
The cutters claim that they will be paid less if their services are hired by contractors compared to when they deal directly
with the company.
The companys unionisable employees are said to be suporting the cane cutters to scuttle the managements effort to
introduce the contract system in harvesting.
It is estimated that the company has incured losses by having 0ver 200hectares of cane burnt since announcing of having cutters to be contracted
Most of the burnt cane is under age which can not be crushed as it does not produce sugar but
mollasses which is a bye-product.
Another blow to the management is that the burnt cane can not be harvested as the cutters are on strike so it rots on the farm.
Yesterday the managing director Mr Josphat Akoyo held consultations with top managers at the factory to get a solution to the
problem.
The MD was holed up in his office but not talking to outsiders and he refused to address the press.
BY LUKE KAPCHANGA DN/WEBUYE NZOIA 9/3/2005
The Nzoia sugar factory has been closed down following unrest by cane cutters who are protesting the introductions of
contracts in the harvesting section.
The factory stoped operations on Monday when the demostrating cutters roughed up a company employee and set ablaze three
farms as they threatened to become more violent.
Factory manager a MR mulungwa is said to have told workers in the mill to have a rest while they are hoping that matters
were going to stabilise.
Mr Mulungwa is said to have gave instructions to close the mill to stave off the unrest and to re-open when the cutters have
accepted to be hired by sub-contractors.
The nation spotcheck found the cane yard empty with no transporting tractors where seen ferrying the harvested crop.
The cutters who are not direct employees of the company have vowed to distabilise the factory operations until managemnt
drops the idea of having them hired through contracts.
The cutters claim that they will be paid less if their services are hired by contractors compared to when they deal directly
with the company.
The companys unionisable employees are said to be suporting the cane cutters to scuttle the managements effort to
introduce the contract system in harvesting.
It is estimated that the company has incured losses by having 0ver 200hectares of cane burnt since announcing of having cutters to be contracted
Most of the burnt cane is under age which can not be crushed as it does not produce sugar but
mollasses which is a bye-product.
Another blow to the management is that the burnt cane can not be harvested as the cutters are on strike so it rots on the farm.
Yesterday the managing director Mr Josphat Akoyo held consultations with top managers at the factory to get a solution to the
problem.
The MD was holed up in his office but not talking to outsiders and he refused to address the press.
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