The Rise & Fall of Mumias Sugar Company: Embezzlement, Exploitation & Corruption

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

Thanks for watching

[@jasonwesonga8634]

I grew up in the Mumias sugar zone, the so-called Nucleus Estate. My dad worked during the Booker administration until Kidero was exiting. I must acknowledge your informative reporting- this is a great piece! I love how you broke down the narrative of how Kibaki introduced MOCO, how Kidero came in (with plenty of development schemes, particularly the condemned administration block), MOCO's fall, and farmers' exploitation at the "weigh bridge" section. I would love to see a follow-up piece on the impact of the fall of Mumia Sugar on the workforce, some of my retired dad never got their full pension, and the money was looted. After the fall, several workers were left with depression and chronic illnesses without any intervention from the state; the area is deplorable with a high number of wild animals (mostly monkeys) compared to humans, poor sanitation (no running water or sewage system-those still in the estate use firewood to cook, shit outside in the long grasses since there is no water or sewers). It's literally an apocalypse over there! So sad!

[@1Kencell]

I also come from around Mumias.....sure, the old Booker days were good. I could see the company inspectors doing their work in the fields. The company used to maintain and repair all roads around the constituency. During pay days, there was high cashflow and everyone was ever happy...by 10am meat was over in all butcheries. The company had good prospects, until politicians came in. I have always wished that the company is handed back to Booker Tate to manage it for another 50yrs. Governor Oparanya also tried to revive it back.

[@irwinreds]

Jason, it is a sad situation

[@petergitau1805]

This country never ceases to amaze.and this thieves are still allowed to hold public offices.

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

It's really unfortunate

[@our10picks18]

But it’s good to see Mumias Sugar together with the other sugar companies being revived slowly but surely! 😊 We even for the first time have surplus sugar production in Kenya 🇰🇪👏

[@jnr.cecilmillera.2850]

It would have been nice but when our politicians are the leading importers of sugarcane its hard

[@1Kencell]

Kenya has never had a surplus production of sugar. Even during the Mumias Sugar days, we have always had a deficit that necessitated importation of sugar. The regulations required that only the sugar companies are allowed to import. However, politicians infiltrated the business and ruined everything

[@BravinYuri]

Having lived in Mumias, Upper Central, AA 416, and Studied in Mumias Complex, watching how this great company collapsed under Kidero was just sad. My entire childhood memories are of this place. Oketch Park, etc. There are so many untold details on this. The fall of this company destroyed many lives. Even Education scholarships etc.

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

Truly sad what happened, worse than I initially thought

[@MansaMusa001]

As someone who also grew up in Upper Central Estate and attended Mumias Complex, I remember the firework displays during end of year celebrations, Christmas shopping vouchers & bonuses, and a lot of other good stuff prior to everything going tits up. Our childhood was lit man!

[@christiankhaemba4318]

In looking forward to the KQ vid, keep up the good work.

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

Yeah, it's definitely coming 💯

[@apocalypsematrix9252]

SOON TATA GROUP OF INDIA 🇮🇳 WILL TAKEOVER MUPENDE MUSIPENDE EVERYTHING IS GOING ON AS PLANNED JAI HIND 🔱 🕉️ 🔥 🇮🇳 🙏

[@MichaelBullut]

YES!!! 💥💥💥

[@ob1tomi]

As always. Very informative.

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

Thank you

[@Shad-tv]

Bro this is good, keep up the good job 😁💪🏽

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

Thanks bro💯

[@josphatmacharia4789]

Intensive research and analysis 🧐 Good job done.

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

Thank you

[@kidathi]

It is Kidero who started importation of sugar and repackaging it and selling through Nakumatt using and individual referred to as KC. Mumias had shipped the sugar through their warehouse in Industrial area, which neighboured Nakumatt's at Road C.

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

It's really unfortunate

[@uvictorokusimba5599]

I agree 90% with this documentary....just a few facts not rightly captured....good work.

[@1Kencell]

Which facts are not rightly captured?...I would like to know

[@vanismoraa5051]

In any business, according to size, the good you do this year Will be felt next year. And the bad you do this year Will be felt next year. So while kidero says he made profit during his tenure, he was riding on the previous success. His work should be evaluated by the end of his tenure and after his tenure.

[@TheGeneralEntertainment]

19:14 in public procurement you are advised to pick lowest bidder, theres nothing like unheard of

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

Please explain to me as simply as you can how in this specific case, the lowest bidder was a better option to help revive mumias

[@georgeodhiambo598]

You pick the lowest bidder when you are paying for a service. But you ought to pick the highest bidder when the bidding entity is paying you as was the case mentioned here.

[@1Kencell]

In the Mumias case, it was a sale case, not a purchasing case. In this scenerio, you select the highest bidder.

[@amazingmrbill7159]

I think the Gen Z generation should really learn from this. We should really foster a community that focuses on empowering each other. Thats the only way we can rise as one in this tough economy. Where will greed take you?

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

I totally agree, they steal more than they need

[@isaacmuya2252]

It is a sad story. I visit the company premises and it pains me to see the state of a company that was a giant in the region. This brings the question, are we really developing?

[@Wasasoyt]

Excellent Video ! Great research and analysis ! Very inspiring !

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

Thank you 💯

[@SteveIrunguJermaine]

Im humbled by Steve Irungu Jermaine

[@victorosong]

Hakuna miwa tamu kama ya kuvuta kutoka kwa tractor.

[@JosephKariuki-g3v]

Nice job bro Long videos 💯

[@TIKTOK_CHANNEL101]

Kidero did the same in Nairobi

[@Sarakassy]

We must not allow them to enjoy life in Kenya

[@1Kencell]

Sisi watu wa Mumias have never forgiven Kidero for killing our lifeline

[@edwinmiles9956]

Kudos boss you make everything digestible!!!! One of a kind

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

I appreciate the kind words, thank you More to come

[@iannzioka2307]

Beautiful work

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

Thank you 💯

[@sammysam486]

Welcome to Kenya 🇰🇪 the gangsters paradise 🎉

[@1stOLYMPIAD_HEBSED]

Excellent presentation.... Subscribed!

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

Thanks and welcome

[@radinadennis899]

Keep up the great work 🫡 Quality output from 🇰🇪

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

More coming, thank you

[@vanismoraa5051]

That parting shot is an eye opener

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

Thank you for watching till the end

[@mfredskitchen190]

U should do one for miwani and muhoroni sugar another grave yard

[@joachimoab6445]

Long post My two cents on Mumias story & Kenya Sugar sector in general. The small holder production model narrative as a downside to Kenya sugar production challenges & local private & public owned milling company's institutional weakness is a conception premised on a fallacy. For case study on small grower production model, lets compare India & Kenya. India is the largest small holder production country for sugar cane in the world. It has over 5 million growers, is 2nd largest exporter of commercial sugar, is the largest producer & consumer of sugar in the world & contributes 20% of global sugar output. India has over 500 factories spread in 15 states, with UP & Maharashtra being the largest producers. Farmer plots in India, average 0.25 to 1.0 hectares. This scale mirrors the Kenyan situation. Tropical production zones in india have maturity cycle for sugarcane of 10-12 months & sub tropics of 15-18 months. The total area under sugar cane in India is about 5 million Hectares with growers numbering 6 plus million. Sugar cane is ideally suited for growing in the tropics, more particularly around the Equator, hence Kenya is ideal The farm yields in India average 60-80 tons per acre & outliers reach 100 tons. Kenya field yields are exceptionally low, average 20-30 with exception at 40 tons per hectare. This low yield in Kenya is a downside attributable to weak variety research/development, variety adaptation to variable climate, rainfall & soil regimes & poor extension support, linkages & capacity building between growers & GoK institutions. The other aspect of productivity disparity between India & Kenya, both engaged in small holder production system, is the sucrose content in harvested sugarcane & overall quality of sugarcane. These are attributes of varieties, arising from a robust variety development program. A viable,. progressive & sustainable sugar industry is built foundationally on a robust research & variety development & release program. India has an elaborate, robust & targeted variety development, testing & release program, driven by National Research Institutions (Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research (IISR) & it's regional research centres & private affiliates - All India Coordinates Research Project on Sugarcane (AICRP), National Sugar Institute Kanpur (NSI). In case of Kenya the Sugar Research Institute (SRI) formerly KESREF is poorly funded, is an appendage of KALRO, lacks priorities in area of variety research &, development. KE thrives on legacy varieties - the N, NCO, CO, EAK & their clones, which nomenclature is representative of origins. Recent varieties released for commercial propagation in India reported sugarcane yields in excess of 88tons/hectare, sucrose (%) in cane juice 18.50% & Commercial Cane Sugar of 11.58 tons/hectare, maturity cycle of 10/12 for tropics & 15/18 in subtropical areas. In comparison, the Kenyan situation is deplorable. Yields average 30/40 tons/hectare, maturity cycle of 18/24 months, Commercial Cane Sugar yields of 5/7 tons per hectare. Sugarcane production & sugar processing is a regulated industry in India. Kenya lacks a legal/regulatory regime & research & support institutions for it's sugar sector. This is a bare minimum for sustainability. What we have is piecemeal self serving pieces of legislation for imports & sugar cane pricing. This situation, has been caused & enabled by the private millers who exploit this lacuna. It explains the "mambo ni ma tatu, zinger" to break the vice like shackle hold the private players have in the sector. They want no regulations! The rampant manipulation of sugar weights at the weigh-bridges, is a great disservice to small growers & local communities.

[@lagatian]

Amazing work brother. Keep it up

[@SteveIrunguJermaine]

good job

[@joachimoab6445]

The Board of Director's who hired the CEO & failed to oversight his tenure 2004-2012, are jointly culpable ie., Ameyo, & others. Failure causes incl a botched Public listing & manipulation, weakend MOCO & collective power of farmers, GoK interference - all under watch of Kidero. KPMG forensic audit was not acted upon. The mega projects, of Administration block, water bottling, power cogeneration & distillery all single sourced & inflated yet denominated in foreign currency, was final nail. Travesty in this century - a corporate behemoth that netted profits in tune of 3 plus billions per annum then, was brought on its knees by a single individual. Washiali MP, was a victim of the CEO's machinations & goons.

[@Engineer-z6v]

kazi safi mkuu

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

Thank you

[@stephenmunene6342]

Hey bro ,an upcoming entrepreneur, thanks for the content 😢 sad at the same time educative

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

Yeah it's truly sad how people can be so greedy they ruin the livelihoods of thousands

[@mucinakigoro5363]

Well put.

[@wesongajunior5963]

Good work 👏👏👏

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

Thank you

[@around_tv]

Excellent documentary

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

Thank you

[@mosesvuguza9726]

Kidero killed our Sugar company please arrest that embezzlement of sugar industry

[@1Kencell]

Sisi watu wa Mumias have never forgiven Kidero

[@realest-beats]

Informative

[@JanetNdaliro-c6y]

Very nice

[@abocas]

No kidding ….. corruption!? In Kenya! Really ….

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

😂

[@WalkertheG]

reminds me of Magnates Media

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

I'm humbled ....

[@EDWINKISIERO]

kidero,kebati and company you are supposed to be in jail

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

Truly sad how no one is being held accountable

[@vitoscalleta9814]

Do a video on festive

[@WalkertheG]

Very interesting

[@dennisfellix6918]

If the small scale farmers cannot be competative in cane farming then it should be left to big guys

[@vanismoraa5051]

Corruption from our people has always killed our country.

[@jm.scylla]

Sad

[@stenammusicgroup8573]

Please do for naivas supermarket 🙏🏿

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

@@stenammusicgroup8573 in the pipeline

[@onesykaranja2903]

Good research…

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

@@onesykaranja2903 Thanks 😊

[@kariukialex95]

The fellows who ruined the livelihood of mumias people walking around. Very unfortunate that this is known by the power that be.

[@KKE1978]

How is Kenya not the most corrupt country in the world. This is sad, and its getting worse!!

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

It really is and such happens in different parastatal

[@Trendynewz21]

If it were in China, Mumias' top leadership since 2004 to 2014 would either be in jail or hanged. Unfortunately, its Kenya

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

Our justice systems really fail us when it comes to these top cases, no one ever pays

[@kevinopiyo1258]

This is how politics destroys a Nation

[@HashimSalim-yy1ix]

Vle wafrica hawafai tulilaaniwa na nn

[@hillarymulehi1475]

Very unfortunate

[@samck1231]

Bro please investigate the Nairobi womens hospital theres some mismanagement going on there Doctors don't get some even commit suicide

[@rickymurithi]

@EACC & @DCI, You failing "The common mwananchi". Stand Accountable!

[@prof_emeritus_phd602]

Both proponents and opponents are Mumias dry

[@Jamesmakoris]

We mzee wacha kuadvise Ruto kenyans don't want him

[@Cybfreak99]

This country is just a crime scene

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

It really is

[@DjTayze84]

Conclusion is...Mumias died with the exit of the whites "the booker company"

[@1Kencell]

I have always wished that Booker Tate would have been brought back for another 50yrs.......If you look at the bigger picture, these Asians are also the reason for the death of government-owned sugar factories

[@DjTayze84]

@@1Kencell The Asian started his private company almost the same time and he was never involved in killing mumias. Why was mumias stable for the first 30 years when booker Tate was in charge of operations? Booker Tate welcomed the farmers cooperation to avoid working blindly and kidero walks in and his primary duty was eliminating farmers control so that they could manipulate sugar pricing. Farmers went from making money from sugarcane to not affording sugar

[@iamdavism4163]

So kidero is at fault too

[@STORIESFROMKENYA]

@@iamdavism4163 yes

[@teikioko]

Kidero single handedly killed people's livelihood

[@georgeodhiambo598]

@@teikioko Nope, The looting which had been started by Kidero continued furiously under his successor called Kebati.

[@manasseoloo2444]

​@@georgeodhiambo598leave those tribalist alone,infact it's only in Kidero era that my mum earned more in Sugar farming, after Kidero I just told Mum not to plant cane. I was right by 2014 farmers were earning negative on their harvests.

[@1Kencell]

We, people of Mumias have never forgiven Dr. Kidero

[@shantiMickel]

Isn't mumias opereting 😢😢😅😅😅😢😢😂😂😂❤

[@DaveOndiekAaron85]

Nothing Belongs To Us, Even The Air We BREATHE Must Be Exhaled.. 🥹😪😭💔

[@Sarakassy]

The saddest thing is that the rogue criminals involved in Mumias paralysis are walking free out there. Only in Kenya🥹

[@georgek685]

He eventually became a governor and continued with a looting spree