The sugarcane cutters living in the Kakira plantation camps of Nti'nkalu and Mutai say that they have gone for six months without pay, and are struggling to afford basic needs like soap and food.
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Woman looks on as part of her garden is destroyed by the protesters.
Sugarcane cutters from Kakira Sugar Works have protested over delayed payment. The cane cutters destroyed gardens belonging to their superiors and blocked all the major roads within Kakira sugarcane plantations leading to the factory.
The sugarcane cutters living in the Kakira plantation camps of Nti'nkalu and Mutai say that they have gone for six months without pay, and are struggling to afford basic needs like soap and food.
They say that their pleas for redress from their superiors have often fallen on deaf ears, prompting them to stage the protests.
Jacob Ariso says that their superiors no longer extend incentives like sugar and soap to them, without offering any explanation about the change in plans. "Our superiors always have given us incentives in terms of sugar, soap, posho, and beans, among others to supplement our meagre earnings.
For the past six months, both the incentives and wages have never been remitted to them, creating distress within the camp," he says.
Another worker who spoke on condition of anonymity says that their superiors often respond with insults and belittling language whenever asked to fulfil their obligations.
He says that failure by their superiors to initiate dialogues about ways of fulfilling the demands has brewed anger in the camps, with most of them opting for protests in retaliation.
Police officers from Kakira attempted to restore sanity, however, the cutters would stage protests in different locations before retreating to their hideouts within the plantations.
Mouren Auma, who owns a garden near the Sugarcane plantation says that she had reserved her banana plants for sale during this Christmas season only for them to be destroyed by the protesters. "I had over 10 mature bunches, which I had planned to sell for 30,000 Shillings each during this festive season, only for them to be destroyed in the protest," she says.
The Communication Officer of Kakira Sugar Works, Susan Gimbo declined to comment about the matter, however, the Kiira regional police spokesperson, James Mubi says that they have quelled the protest.
Mubi says that members of the Jinja district security committee have resolved to hold a meeting with officials from Kakira Sugar Works to address the standoff with their workers.
