Sugar firm loses 320 acres of cane in suspected arson attack

Kayunga RDC Ms Mariam Seguya ( centre) and Mr Patel Dhermesh (R) inspect the burnt cane farm on February 4, 2024. PHOTO/ FRED MUZAALE
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The RDC also directed police to arrest “anyone found idling” in the cane plantations.
GM Sugar Uganda Limited is counting losses after suspected arsonists set on fire about 350 acres of their cane plantation in Kasokwe village in Galilaaya Sub-county, Kayunga District.
GM Sugar management estimated the destroyed cane at Shs1.2 billion.
The company’s farm manager in Kayunga District, Mr Patel Dhermesh on Tuesday told Ms Mariam Seguya, the Kayunga Resident District Commissioner that the company experienced two arson attacks on their cane in a fortnight.
“The first arson attack occurred on December 25, 2024 while the most recent one took place on February 2. In both incidents, the cane was burnt in the night when askaris and deployed UPDF soldiers had retired to their homes to rest,” Mr Dhernesh told the RDC.
Ms Seguya, on Tuesday visited the GM Sugar plantation to assess the extent of damage and to find out the status of the police inquiries.
Mr Dhermesh said, “They (arsonists) burnt our cane without any reason, they first take alcohol during the day and at night they come and burn the sugarcane.”
He said the current long dry spell has exacerbated the situation.
“The totally spoiled cane was still immature with some seven months and we are going to cut and throw it away. We appeal to the government to provide us with more policemen to carry out night patrols of the plantations” Mr Dhermesh noted.
But Mr Charles Okwi, the Kasokwe police post in-charge of the Criminal Investigations Department said preliminary investigations indicated that “idle” company workers could have set the plantation on fire in order to be recalled to remove and plant cane in the burnt fields.
This publication could not verify the police’s claims. Mr Okwi disclosed that no suspect had been arrested in connection with the incident given that the incident occurred at night.
“Investors like GM Sugar should be protected because they pay a lot of taxes and give employment to our youths,” Ms Seguya said.
“We are going to ensure that the police in this area get a patrol vehicle so that they carry out night patrols of all cane plantations in the district,” the RDC said.
GM Sugar employs at least 1,000 people in their Kayunga plantations.
The RDC also directed police to arrest “anyone found idling” in the cane plantations.
Mr Joel Kayira, the Galilaaya sub-county district councilor blamed the incident on wrangles between the company and some residents neighboring the plantations after they were reportedly stopped from eating free cane.
Mr Kayira called for community policing of the community to appreciate the role of such investors in the development of the country.