The government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, completed the agreement to lease four sugar factories to private millers as part of efforts to revitalise the ailing sugar industry.
The factories include West Kenya Sugar Company, which assumed control of Nzoia Sugar Company, while Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries Ltd will manage Chemelil Sugar Company.
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At the same time, Sony Sugar Company was leased to Busia Sugar Industry, while West Valley Sugar Company Ltd will take over the management of Muhoroni Sugar Company.
We take a closer look at the four (4) tycoons who are set to take over sugar companies in Nyanza and Western regions.
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Jaswant Rai: The Founder of West Kenya Sugar Company
Billionaire entrepreneur Jaswant Rai assumed control of Nzoia Sugar Factory after his company, West Kenya Sugar, secured a 30-year lease deal from the government.
Jaswant was born in India and moved to Kenya in the 1970s. He started his entrepreneurial journey by venturing into the fruits and vegetable trade.
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Later, he expanded into the sugar industry in 1989 when he established West Kenya Sugar Company. The Kenyan billionaire serves as the Chairman of Rai Group, an enterprise with interests spanning sugar production, real estate, and hospitality.
His companies are estimated to control around 43% of the country’s sugar industry. Additionally, he leads Kabras Sugar, Sukari Industries, and Olepito Sugar.
Moreover, Rai is the founder of Raiplywood Group, a top producer of plywood and wood-based products in Kenya.
Bernard Soi: The Founder of West Valley Company
Billionaire Bernard Soi’s West Valley Sugar Company has assumed control of Muhoroni Sugar Factory.
West Valley Sugar Company Limited is under the Kipchimchim Group of Companies, a diversified Kenyan conglomerate with interests in agriculture, manufacturing, retail, logistics, and real estate.
The origins of the group date back to the year 2000, when it was established by the late Mr. Samwel Ngetich Kipsoi, who laid its foundation from modest beginnings.
Their journey began with a small retail kiosk at Kipchimchim Centre, and over time, they gradually expanded into multiple retail outlets operating under the name Kipchimatt Supermarket across the country.
Kipchimatt Supermarkets operates 13 retail outlets across Kericho, Bomet, and Nandi counties, catering to approximately 50,000 customers daily. The Kipchimchim Group also manages ABSS Warehouses, a large storage facility in Mombasa used for holding tea destined for international markets.
Also Read: Story of Simon Wachira From Hawker to Owning Magunas Supermarket and Nokras Hotel
Channan Chatthe Family: The Founders of Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries
The Chatthe family’s Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries Limited officially took over the operations of Chemelil Sugar Company.
For nearly 90 years, the Channan family has been involved in large-scale sugarcane farming in the Kibos area.
In 1983, Mr. Chanan Singh Chatthe and his three sons- Satwant Singh Chatthe, Sukhwinder Singh Chatthe, and Ragbhir Singh Chatthe, founded M/s Channan Agricultural Contractors (K) Ltd.
The company began by transporting sugarcane for major mills including Mumias Sugar, Chemelil Sugar, and South Nyanza Sugar.
In addition to sugarcane transport, the firm also offered land development services to other farmers and institutions such as the Kenya Sugar Research Foundation (KESREF) and the Kenya Seed Company Ltd.
The Channan family decided to scale up by vertically integrating their operations and established a 1,650-ton-per-day greenfield sugar factory in Kibos to process cane from their own farms and neighbouring growers.
This move enabled them to operate independently from the government-run mills that had previously purchased their cane.
Moreover, to facilitate this growth, Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries Ltd (KSAIL) was officially launched on September 1, 1999, and is located about 10 kilometres east of Kisumu.
Also Read: Meet Archbishop Zacchaeus Okoth, Founder of Uzima University
Ahmed Ali Taib: The Founder of Busia Sugar Industry Ltd
Taib’s Busia Sugar Industry Ltd officially took over the operations of Sony Sugar Company.
Ali Taib is the founder and Managing Director of Busia Sugar Industry Ltd, a privately owned sugar milling company based in Busia County, Kenya.
The company was incorporated in 2011 and commenced operations in 2019, with a milling capacity of 3,000 tonnes of cane per day.
In addition, the company’s mission includes improving farmers’ livelihoods, enhancing agricultural growth in the sugar industry sector, and contributing to community development through various corporate social responsibility initiatives.
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