KENYA – Mr PVR Rao, Mumias Sugar Company’s receiver manager appointed by KCB has picked Francis Wabuke as acting general manager of the sugar company, part of his plan to revive the miller.

Mr Wabuke is a former employee of the Booker Tate Company, a leading international agricultural production and processing consultancy firm.

Before joining Booker Tate, he worked Mumias and later took up a management position at the Nzoia Sugar Company.

The appointment comes after Mr Rao recently met officials of the Kenya Union of Sugar Plantation and Allied Workers (KUSPAW) in Kisumu to brief them on the progress being made to revive the miller.

Plans to revamp dilapidated milling equipment and restructure operations at the factory are underway, meant to kick-start operations in January next year.

“We are busy working on a revival strategy that will ensure that we kick-start milling operations after carrying out repairs and maintenance of the factory,” said Mr Rao.

The revival plan also involves restarting ethanol production to generate revenue to sustain operations in the next one month after maintenance and repair of milling equipment.

The firm shut down its only revenue stream last month at its Kakamega-based plant, plunging the firm into deeper financial woes.

Other than re-embarking on ethanol production, the sugar company is set to prepare 1,500 acres of land at the nucleus estate to plant cane within the next six months for supply of raw material to the factory.

The receiver manager also made clearance that he had no plans to sell the miller’s assets to recover unpaid loans after the High Court extended orders barring the move.

Mr Franci Wangara, KUSPAW Secretary-General said the receiver manager had assured the union that the firm would absorb all workers at the factory when it resumes milling.

“At the moment, his focus is to generate revenue to restart operations at the factory after the planned repairs of milling equipment,” said Mr Wangara.

The county executive for Trade Mr Kassim Were Ali said the devolved unit will advance subsidised farm inputs to cane farmers including fertiliser and ploughing tractors.