Sugarcane farmers across Kenya will elect their representatives to the Kenya Sugar Board on November 24, 2026, following the publication of the final voters' register and confirmation of the polling date by the Elections Committee.
In a notice dated October 30, 2026, the committee announced that the election process had reached its final stages, with the list of candidates and the register of eligible voters already published.
“The public and sugar crop growers are hereby notified that the election of grower representatives to the Kenya Sugar Board will be carried out on 24th November, 2026,” the notice states.
The announcement was issued under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development and signed by Elections Committee Chairperson Harun Khator, who committed to conducting the exercise in accordance with the applicable legal framework and court orders.
“The electoral process will be undertaken in compliance with the applicable governing legal framework and court orders,” the notice adds.
The committee confirmed that the final voters' register had been published on the Kenya Sugar Board's website and displayed physically at designated facilities to enable farmers to verify their registration details ahead of the elections.
The publication was undertaken in accordance with Rule 9(7) of the Procedure for Election of Grower Representatives to the Kenya Sugar Board, 2025.
The register provides growers with an opportunity to confirm their eligibility to participate in the ballot as preparations gather pace towards the November 24 exercise.
The electoral process began on May 12, 2026, when the committee invited applications from interested members of the public in the respective sugar catchment areas to contest positions as grower representatives.
The application period was subsequently extended through a notice issued on August 7, before the committee published the final list of candidates on August 20, setting out those cleared to contest the board positions.
With the candidates identified, the voters' register finalised and the election date confirmed, attention now shifts to mobilisation and preparations for the ballot across the country's sugar-growing regions.
The elections are being conducted under Section 6 of the Sugar Act, No. 11 of 2024, which provides the legal framework for the composition of the Kenya Sugar Board and the election of grower representatives.
The positions are significant to sugarcane farmers because they provide an institutional channel through which growers can articulate their concerns and participate in decisions affecting the industry.
The representatives elected will be expected to champion farmers' interests in an industry that continues to grapple with issues surrounding cane pricing, delayed payments, miller operations, productivity and the regulation of the sugar value chain.
The November elections therefore offer growers an opportunity to determine who will represent them in an institution responsible for overseeing an important agricultural sector that supports livelihoods across several counties.
The committee's commitment to observe the applicable legal framework and court orders also places emphasis on the need for a transparent and credible electoral process.
The October 30 notice confirms the polling date and publication of the final candidates' list and voters' register but does not specify polling hours or individual polling stations.
Growers are expected to follow subsequent official communications from the Elections Committee and the Kenya Sugar Board for further details on voting arrangements ahead of November 24.
