Agriculture minister William Ruto Monday shocked his hosts at Nzoia Sugar Company when he rejected a gift of sugar and directed that it be returned to the factory.
And he ordered the company to stop handing out bags of sugar as gifts to visitors because it was a profit-making firm.
Mr Ruto, addressing farmers and company staff at Bukembe market, turned down the three 25kg bags of the commodity that had been loaded into his car, and demanded to know how the company would account for them.
He said: As we are talking, bags of sugar have been placed on to our VIPs vehicles. I direct that it be removed immediately.
The minister also ordered the management to take back all the sugar it had given to other dignitaries including ministers Moses Wetangula, Sylvester Wakoli and Alfred Khangati.
Others at the meeting were MPs Alfred Sambu and David Eseli.
The sugar in Mr Rutos car was offloaded and placed on the dais.
The companys security officers desperately tried to shield company staff offloading the sugar from the other vehicles.
Mr Ruto asked how the company would account for such sugar and if it would ever improve on its balance sheet, with such a trend.
A source at the company said the management had set aside sugar worth Sh100,000 to be given to the dignitaries.
Daily Nation Link
And he ordered the company to stop handing out bags of sugar as gifts to visitors because it was a profit-making firm.
Mr Ruto, addressing farmers and company staff at Bukembe market, turned down the three 25kg bags of the commodity that had been loaded into his car, and demanded to know how the company would account for them.
He said: As we are talking, bags of sugar have been placed on to our VIPs vehicles. I direct that it be removed immediately.
The minister also ordered the management to take back all the sugar it had given to other dignitaries including ministers Moses Wetangula, Sylvester Wakoli and Alfred Khangati.
Others at the meeting were MPs Alfred Sambu and David Eseli.
The sugar in Mr Rutos car was offloaded and placed on the dais.
The companys security officers desperately tried to shield company staff offloading the sugar from the other vehicles.
Mr Ruto asked how the company would account for such sugar and if it would ever improve on its balance sheet, with such a trend.
A source at the company said the management had set aside sugar worth Sh100,000 to be given to the dignitaries.
Daily Nation Link
