Court orders closure of Kibos Sugar and allied industries

A court in Kisumu has ordered the closure of Kibos sugar and allied industries limited after establishing that they obtained their license illegally.

The order will, however, be put to practice in 7 days after Kibos lawyers obtained a temporary stay notice by the court.

Justice Stephen Kibunjia also ordered the closure of three of its plants for illegally and un-procedurally acquiring National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) license and posing health and environmental hazard.

The directive issued by a Kisumu court will affect operations of Kibos sugar, Kibos distillers limited and Kibos power limited.

Lands and Environment Court Justice Stephen Kibunjia, however, granted the factory a seven-day stay for the order to take effect after the industry lawyers requested for a temporary stay.

According to the ruling, Kibos sugar and allied industries limited has been given 120 days to carry out environmental impact assessment studies and submit their report to NEMA for approval and issuance of the license.

The court ordered for the demolition of the structures should the industries fail to obtain the required licenses in the stipulated period.

Petitioners Benson Adega, Eric Ochieng and Bether Opiyo raised concerns that the firm is denying Kibos residents right to a clean and healthy environment.

The move comes five months after NEMA shut down the factory’s distillery and paper mill plants over alleged pollution.

This followed claims that the miller was discharging effluent to River Kibos which drains into Lake Victoria.