Revival of Sony Sugar restores economic hope in Awendo

The revival of Sony Sugar has sparked hopes for business growth in the sugar-belt towns, such as Awendo Town and surrounding areas, which are now bustling with activity.

In an interview, Sony Sugar Company 2025 Limited Managing Director (MD) Jane Pamela Odhiambo attributed the region’s confidence to the reforms that President William Ruto initiated last year.

Specifically, she said that the move to ensure that farmers are paid weekly for their cane has enhanced circulation of money– giving locals the buying power–and opened new opportunities for traders.

According to her, approximately Sh150 million is circulating in Awendo Town and surrounding areas every month from payment of cane, adding that sugarcane growing is the mainstay for many households.

“So my day-to-day work is to make sure that the plant is working, that cane is being grown, that cane is being delivered, that customers are being served, that customers are paying on time, and that suppliers are paid, just to make sure that operations run efficiently and effectively,” she said.

“Now the turnover of this company, if we mill well, is somewhere in the area of Sh5 billion per year. Now if you look at that turnover, a lot of that money goes back to this economy because of the farmers, whom we pay around 120 to 150 million per month,” she stated.

An aerial view of the expansive Sony Sugar nucleus in Awendo, Migori County. The revival of the factory has sparked hope for growth in the region. Photo/Courtesy

The MD said that the company invested heavily in renovation and technology, noting that they are now milling an average of 2300 tonnes per day, having set a target of 2700 tonnes by December.

This is a significant improvement considering that the factory was on the verge of being shut down completely just two years ago. “At that time, they were accumulating cane for a whole week, and they were only milling 700 tonnes of cane per week, which was not sustainable,” she said.

“And that is why the company was on its knees. That is why the farmers were not being paid. I think even the staff salaries at that time were being delayed,” she affirmed.

While farmers waited up to several months for the company to pay their dues, they are now being paid every week– one of the key pillars of the government-led reforms.

Stakeholders, including traders and transporters like Silvester Swati Makhoha, are now beaming with hope.

“This is not a child’s play, this is a serious investment, and this is creating employment for you people. This is bringing the money that we have been talking in your pockets, so that we meet together and do this thing,” said Makhoha, who has been in the sugarcane transport business since 2000.

“I have worked in the sugar companies of Mumias, Nzoia, Transmara, and among others, but I have settled here. What I want to tell my people is that since this transition of privatizing these companies, at least we have seen the changes, payments are on time,” he added.

Former Uriri High School Principal Andrew Othoch said he was happy to see Sony Sugar coming back to life. “Before Sony came here, we were living in thatched grass houses, but now in the whole of South Nyanza and Migori district, we have Mabati houses,” he said.

“Education-wise, students are going to school. All pupils are going to school because we are getting money from sugarcane. Sony is helping us a lot. Sony is the backbone of this county and Transmara, not only Migori, Migori County, Transmara, Kisii and South Nyanza,” he affirmed.

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