By BOB AMALEMBA
April 4, 2026| For years, the Pan Paper Mills was more than a ressurecting industrial power house—it was a political hotbed, a stage where scavenger politicians built careers on the backs of suffering former workers. The mill’s troubled sale and the chronic non-payment of retrenched employees became fertile ground for endless political theater, finger-pointing, and empty promises. But that era may now be over.
National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula has announced that the government has finally paid Sh229 million in long-overdue salary arrears to ex-workers of the Pan Paper Mills—a move he says closes a painful chapter for hundreds of families in Western Kenya.
Crucially, Wetang’ula framed the payout as more than just justice delayed. He presented it as a surgical strike against the political opportunism that had thrived on the workers’ misery. “The payout will not only restore dignity to the former workers but also neutralise political opportunism that had thrived on their plight,” he said, speaking while hosting Bukusu elders from Western and Trans Nzoia counties.
For years, local operatives and opposition figures milked the Pan Paper saga for political mileage, holding rallies and issuing statements while the workers went unpaid. The mill’s controversial sale and the ensuing legal and financial maze became a permanent talking point—a hotbed for mobilizing anger without delivering solutions. Now, with the arrears settled, those scavenger politicians find the rug pulled from under their feet. The issue that once guaranteed them a captive audience and a ready-made grievance has been defanged.
Wetang’ula credited President William Ruto for intervening after he personally raised the matter during a development tour of Bungoma. “I raised the issue with the President… and he approved the settlement of the arrears,” the Speaker said.
In a further blow to the doom-mongers, Wetang’ula also revealed that Nzoia Sugar Factory has resumed operations following government intervention to clear debts. “Farmers will soon begin to reap dividends from the revived factory. This marks a turning point after years of stagnation,” he said.
The Speaker didn’t stop there. He urged local elders—whom he described as a critical bridge between communities and the State—to back President Ruto’s re-election bid, citing ongoing development projects and key appointments. He challenged them to defend regional leaders from political attacks and foster discipline among the youth, warning that internal disunity had eroded their effectiveness.
Gone, it seems, is the era when politicians could feast on the carcass of Pan Paper. With the Sh229m payout, the mill’s ghost has been laid to rest—and with it, the scavengers’ favorite meal.
Accompanied by Senate Chief Whip David Wakoli, Webuye East MP Martin Pepela, former Bumula MP Mwambu Mabonga, and Bungoma County Assembly Majority Leader Juma Nyongesa, among others, Wetang’ula pledged institutional support for elders, including the establishment of a coordination office.