Muhoroni’s sugar economy is showing renewed signs of recovery, with the local mill processing about 1,400 tonnes of sugarcane daily and farmers receiving payment within a week of delivering their produce.

The revival of Muhoroni Sugar Company has restored business for cane growers, transporters, factory workers and traders whose livelihoods are linked to the mill.

The factory resumed full milling operations on June 6, 2026, following a six-week shutdown during which targeted repairs were carried out on ageing machinery.

Muhoroni Sugar Company General Manager James Oluoch said the maintenance was undertaken to address sections of the factory that had not been adequately repaired during an earlier overhaul by the private investor operating the facility.

“At that time, Muhoroni Sugar had not been operating for close to four months. It was basically almost dilapidated in terms of the state it was in at that moment,” Oluoch said.

The state-owned factory was leased to a private investor last year and subsequently renamed Muhoroni Sugar Company 2025 Limited.

According to Oluoch, the investor first undertook an extensive maintenance programme before restarting the mill. A second intervention was later required to fix machinery that still needed attention.

“We had to close for targeted maintenance in specific areas that had not been done well, so we closed down for about six weeks. We just opened the other day, around June 6, 2026, and you can see now we’re back in operation,” he said.

The company is now monitoring the performance of the repaired machinery before embarking on another maintenance programme later in the year.

Oluoch said the next shutdown is planned for October, when the company expects to carry out repairs on the boilers, mills and cane preparation section.

“We are targeting to close down during the October rains and fix a few areas that have not been fixed, including the boilers, which require some fixing, and the mills and cane preparation area,” he said.

The management wants to assess how the factory performs following the two maintenance interventions before undertaking additional repairs.

“After addressing the specific areas that still needed some fine-tuning, we want to see how the factory will react to the two maintenance programmes that have been done,” Oluoch said.

Farmers paid within a week

The return to regular milling has also improved cash flow for farmers supplying the factory.

Oluoch said growers are currently receiving payment within seven days of delivering their cane, a development he said has injected fresh money into the local economy.

“We are paying all the farmers that bring cane within one week. The business and local community are happy because there is a lot of money circulation,” he said.

The increased activity around the mill has benefited businesses and households that rely on the sugar industry, while also providing more opportunities for young people involved in cane farming.

Oluoch said the renewed economic activity had helped keep young people engaged in productive work and contributed to a reduction in crime in the area.

Community welcomes revival

For residents who have watched the region’s sugar industry rise and fall over the decades, the reopening of Muhoroni Sugar represents a significant economic lifeline.

Farmer and transporter Odhiambo Ngesa, who has followed the industry since the factory was established in the 1960s, said the fortunes of Muhoroni had always been closely connected to the mill.

“I have seen the ups and downs in the sugar industry since then. The worst experience was when Miwani closed down. People lost their livelihoods. A similar situation was creeping into Muhoroni Sugar, but it was saved by the government decision to lease the mill,” Ngesa said.

He said the arrival of the investor brought visible changes to the area, particularly for farmers and transporters.

“When they came, we really appreciated it because there was a drastic change among farmers, transporters and the entire community in the Muhoroni area,” he said.

Ngesa stressed that the factory’s continued operation was essential to the survival of the wider community, which he said depends on the mill either directly or indirectly.

“Muhoroni life depends on this mill. Even an attempt to change it to a collection centre would be very disastrous because the community has more than 50,000 or 100,000 people depending on this mill, directly and indirectly,” he said.

Cane supply remains a concern

Despite the positive developments, Ngesa warned that the factory’s long-term recovery would depend on maintaining an adequate supply of sugarcane.

He called for greater government support for farmers, including access to affordable financing to expand and improve their farms.

“The government should even give out loans to develop the farms so that we have more cane,” he said.

He argued that restoring the factory alone would not be enough unless farmers were supported to produce sufficient cane to keep the mill operating consistently.

The concern comes as the factory seeks to sustain its current production levels and avoid disruptions caused by inadequate raw materials.

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