Kinyara Strikers Burn Cane

By Amlan Tumusiime and Martin Kaahwa A TOTAL of 247 hectares of sugar cane have been destroyed at Kinyara Sugar Works factory in Masindi district following a one week violent strike which left one worker dead.The strike, which started on Friday last week, paralysed production work at the factory, as there was no cane crushing. Striking workers were all cane cutters.The workers were protesting high taxation by the Kinyara Sugar Works administration and failure by the Masindi district local government to give them their tax tickets.Two workers were admitted to Masindi hospital with bullet wounds, they sustained during the strike.Police from Kampala, Masindi and Hoima district resorted to using live bullets to quell violent workers who set the canes on fire.The Masindi RDC, Betty Adima, on Thursday addressed the workers and assured them that their complaints were being addressed.She said each worker would be taxed according to the period worked and salary received. Cane cutters are employed on a contract of about five months, but the administration wanted them to be taxed like established staff.“For those who had been taxed sh10,000, I have told the management to refund a balance of sh4,000 at the end of this month,” Adima said.She said the Police were investigating the circumstances under which the worker was shot dead.She said workers who burnt the cane would be prosecuted. The regional Police commander, Midwestern Grace Turyagumanawe, area MP Kabakumba Matsiko and manager Jack Melean attended the meeting. Ends