President William Ruto wants two investors fighting over control of Mumias sugar company to pack up and move out of the company or risk being put on a journey to heaven.
Billionaire businessman Jaswant Rai, also, the owner of West Kenya Sugar Company, and his tycoon brother Sarbjit Singh Rai, who owns the Uganda-based Sarrai Group which took over the management of Mumias Sugar company about one year ago have been fighting over control of the sugar company, something that has slowed down government attempts to revive the sugar industry.
”We have told those people (Jaswant and Sarbit) to move out. Mumias belongs to the people and we shall plan for the revival of the sugar mill afresh. Let them withdraw the court case and move out. I have told them there are only three options left, they either move out, go to jail, or embark on the journey to heaven,” President Ruto, who is currently on a five-day tour of Western Kenya said yesterday in Mumias West.
Jaswant Singh Rai, a bank executive to the Mumias Sugar Company lease battles is a mogul in the sugar business in the country and is believed to control at least 43 percent of the sugar business in Kenya. The chairman of the Rai Group owns West Kenya Sugar, which owns Kabras Sugar, Sukari Industries, and Olepito.
The Rai Group has interests in other industries including cement production, horticulture, edible oils, sawmilling and real estate.
He controls among other companies Rai Cement, Menengai Oil Refineries, Timsales, RaiPly and Webuye Panpaper.
