By Hope Barbra

A seven-day notice has been issued to sugar millers to pay farmers after delivery of sugarcane or face penalties, including interest on delayed payments.

The move comes as the Government launches a tougher enforcement regime to protect growers from exploitation and put more money into farmers’ pockets.

The Kenya Sugar Board (KSB) said the days when farmers waited indefinitely for payment after delivering cane must come to an end.

The board said there are contracts now providing clear sanctions against millers who violate the standard seven-day payment period.

KSB CEO Jude Chesire said the regulator was simultaneously moving against weighbridge malpractices that have seen some farmers lose up to three tons of cane per trailer.

Chesire said the malpractices were denying growers payment for cane they have produced, harvested and transported.

He said KSB was procuring mobile weighbridges to independently verify cane weights and strengthen enforcement.

“The Government has also invested in cane-testing units as the industry moves towards a payment system that considers quality and sugar content rather than relying solely on weight,” he said.

Chesire said the board has also directed the millers to establish clear cane harvesting frameworks by September 10, 2026.

Through this, the Government seeks to streamline harvesting, transportation and delivery and end delays that leave mature cane deteriorating in farms.

The tough farmer-protection measures come as Kenya’s sugar industry records a significant production recovery.

Production

Domestic sugar production reached 815,454 MT in 2024, the highest level in recent years.

Kenya produced 611,576 MT in 2025, while production between January and July 2026 stood at 528,875 MT.

The recovery accelerated sharply in recent months, with production reaching 89,709 MT in June and a record 91,022 MT in July 2026.

Despite the improvement, Kenya remains a sugar-deficit country, with annual demand standing at approximately 1.2 million MT, comprising about 1 million MT of brown/table sugar and 200,000 MT of white refined sugar for industrial use.

National sugar consumption reached approximately 1.216 million MT in 2025.

The deficit continues to be bridged through imports, mainly from the COMESA and EAC regions. Kenya imported 477,551 MT of sugar in 2025, while another 65,081 MT of brown sugar was imported between January and July 2026.

Of particular concern was white refined sugar. KSB estimates that Kenya spends approximately KSh30 billion annually importing white refined sugar.

He said the country could reduce the importation if Kenya expands sugarcane production and develops its own refining capacity.

“As an immediate intervention, Kenya has started refining imported raw sugar locally instead of relying entirely on finished refined sugar,” he said.

Mombasa Sugar Refinery Limited, with an installed refining capacity of about 150,000 MT annually, imported 27,839 MT of raw sugar and has commenced local refining.

Chesire said strict safeguards have been established to ensure the raw sugar cannot leak into the table-sugar market before being refined.

“The long-term target, however, was to grow more cane in Kenya. The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, through KSB, is pushing increased cane acreage and productivity, better milling efficiency, value addition and expanded domestic refining capacity to progressively reduce the country’s dependence on imports,” he said.

By Valentine Omondi

A prolonged back-and-forth between Siaya Governor James Orengo and the County Assembly over the appointment of a substantive CECM for Finance and Economic Planning has finally been resolved after lawmakers unanimously approved Dan Ochieng Okoth for the position.

The approval on Wednesday clears the way for Governor Orengo to formally appoint Okoth, bringing to an end a standoff that had emerged after the Assembly rejected the Governor’s earlier nominee for the same docket.

Okoth’s nomination was considered by the Assembly’s Committee on Appointments, which assessed his academic and professional qualifications, experience, integrity and suitability before recommending him to the House.

From rejection to consensus

The latest approval follows the earlier rejection of George Odhiambo Nyingiro, whom Governor Orengo had nominated for the Finance and Economic Planning docket.

The rejection became a major point of disagreement between the county executive and the Assembly, with the two arms of government at odds over the leadership of the financially critical department.

The Governor subsequently re-advertised the position, paving the way for a fresh recruitment process that eventually produced Okoth as the nominee.

Unlike the earlier nomination, Okoth’s approval was unanimous, marking a shift from the previous confrontation to consensus between the executive and the legislature.

The Assembly’s decision also gives the county administration an opportunity to turn its attention to the financial challenges facing the county rather than the prolonged appointment dispute.

Okoth brings public finance experience

Okoth brings extensive experience in public financial management.

He joined the Ministry of Finance, now the National Treasury, as an Accountant Grade II and subsequently rose through the ranks to serve as a District Accountant in various parts of the country.

He later joined the Siaya County Government, where he served as Chief Officer for Trade and Industrialisation before moving to the Finance and Economic Planning department.

His experience within both the national and county governments is expected to be important as he takes on a docket responsible for financial planning and management of county resources.

Pending bills, projects and budget implementation

During his vetting, Okoth identified pending bills as one of the major challenges facing the county.

He acknowledged that the accumulation of outstanding obligations has placed significant pressure on the county budget and pledged to promote financial discipline and prudent management of public resources.

His priority would be to clear existing pending bills while introducing measures to prevent the accumulation of new ones.

He also addressed delays involving rollover projects, attributing some of the challenges to inadequate planning and monitoring.

He pledged to reorganise the department and ensure quarterly progress reports are prepared and submitted on time.

According to Okoth, timely reporting would enable the county to monitor project implementation, accurately project payments and identify projects likely to roll over into the next financial year. Such information would also be available early enough to inform the county budget-making process.

On the persistent challenge of non-remittance of statutory deductions, Okoth committed to ensuring deductions made from employees’ salaries are remitted to the relevant institutions within the prescribed timelines.

He said this would help safeguard employees’ access to accrued benefits, including pension and health-related benefits.

Okoth further attributed delays in implementing the approved county budget partly to inadequate coordination among departments. He pledged to strengthen interdepartmental coordination and collaboration to facilitate timely implementation of approved programmes.

With the Assembly’s unanimous approval, the latest development effectively resolves the immediate dispute over the Finance and Economic Planning docket.

The next step is for Governor Orengo to formally appoint Okoth, after which attention will turn to how he delivers on the commitments he made during vetting.

By Valentine Omondi

The two-day Kisumu–Kenya Outpouring 2026 Crusade entered its final day on Wednesday, August 26, at Jomo Kenyatta Stadium in Kisumu, bringing together congregants from across Kenya and beyond for prayer, worship and fellowship.

While the gathering has largely been centred on faith and spiritual nourishment, healthcare has also found a place within the congregation.

Jaramogi Oginga Odinga Teaching and Referral Hospital (JOOTRH) has deployed a team of healthcare professionals to the stadium through its Mashinani Initiative, providing medical services to people attending the crusade.

Healthcare Amid the Gathering

The JOOTRH team is offering triage, medical consultations, pharmaceutical services and other essential medical care during the two-day event.

Hundreds of clients have so far been attended to, while the medical team remains on standby to provide emergency medical response to congregants who may become unwell during the gathering.

The presence of the healthcare team adds a practical dimension to the large religious gathering, where people have converged from different parts of the country and beyond its borders.

With thousands of people gathered at the stadium, the medical team provides an on-site point of care for those requiring medical attention during the event.

Taking Care Beyond the Hospital

The deployment is part of the JOOTRH Mashinani Initiative, which seeks to extend healthcare services beyond the hospital and take them closer to communities.

At Jomo Kenyatta Stadium, that approach has brought healthcare professionals directly into a space where a large number of people have gathered for a common purpose.

The crusade therefore presents an intersection between two aspects of wellbeing: spiritual and physical, with prayer and worship taking place alongside access to medical care.

As the two-day crusade concludes on Wednesday, the JOOTRH team continues providing healthcare services at the stadium, reflecting the broader idea behind the Mashinani Initiative: bringing healthcare closer to people wherever they are.

By James Okoth

Nyanza clergy have raised the alarm over the increasingly hostile political environment, warning that early campaigns, reckless political rhetoric and the exploitation of young people could plunge Kenya into unrest ahead of the 2027 General Election.

The clergy, drawn from different churches across the region, condemned the recent confrontation in Homa Bay, describing it as a worrying warning of what could unfold if political leaders and their supporters are allowed to continue with inflammatory politics.

Bishop Winnie Owiti of the Voice of Salvation and Healing Church, speaking under the umbrella of Nyanza Clergy representing 132 churches across the country, said the church was deeply concerned by the early political campaigns already taking shape in different parts of the country.

“We recognize the struggles leaders meet in their course of duty, but every leader must learn to work with the opposition,” Bishop Owiti said.

She warned that the political temperature was rising too early, creating conditions that could easily degenerate into violence once campaigns officially begin.

“The church is concerned with the early campaigns which have already sent a precursor of unrest ahead of the official campaign,” she said.

Owiti challenged political leaders to exercise restraint in their public utterances, warning that careless statements from politicians can easily be interpreted by supporters as a call to confrontation.

“We are asking our leaders to engage the public using responsible words. We are asking our leaders to be responsible in their speeches,” she said.

The bishop further called on leaders to embrace dialogue whenever political disagreements emerge, arguing that negotiation should remain the country’s first option rather than confrontation.

“We are asking this nation that dialogue must be the way forward if they can’t agree,” she said.

The clergy also wants the Independent Electoral and Boundaries Commission (IEBC) to take a more active role in regulating political campaigns, saying political competition must be managed before it escalates into violence.

“We are calling for IEBC to take full control of the campaigns,” Owiti said, noting that the church was aware of the ongoing court process concerning the electoral body’s proposed role in controlling campaigns.

The Homa Bay incident, she added, should not be dismissed as an isolated confrontation.

“The Homa Bay fracas is just a glimpse of what is happening across the country,” she warned.

Owiti expressed particular concern over the involvement of young people in political confrontations, urging the government, churches and families to work together to prevent the youth from being turned into political weapons.

“We are asking and praying that the youth are empowered so that they are not used as goons,” she said.

Charles K’Ombo of Full Gospel Churches of Kenya delivered an equally stark warning, arguing that the behaviour of political leaders towards young people could offer voters a glimpse into the kind of leadership they would provide if elected.

“What leaders put the youth to do is a replica of who they are and they are likely to plunge the country into if elected,” K’Ombo said.

He challenged politicians to abandon the use of young people as instruments of political intimidation and instead invest in their economic empowerment.

“Leaders should instead empower the youth economically to be responsible citizens leading a responsible life,” he said.

K’Ombo warned that failure to confront political goonism before the election period could have devastating consequences for the country.

“If goonism is not tamed now, Kenya is in trouble,” he cautioned.

The clergy also called for a peaceful electoral process and urged Kenyans to place confidence in the new IEBC to provide strong leadership in managing the coming political contest.

Owiti said the church was praying that the commission would take the lead in ensuring that Kenyans choose their leaders through a peaceful and credible process.

“We pray that the new IEBC will be taking the front row, that the right people will be elected through a peaceful process,” she said.

Beyond politics, the clergy raised concern over the potential disruption of learning as the country approaches the national examination period.

Owiti appealed to the government, parents and the church to work together to ensure that candidates across the country are protected from political disruptions and allowed to sit their final examinations as scheduled.

“We are praying that the government, the parents and the church will be working together so that candidates across all schools in the country sit for their final examinations as scheduled,” she said.

The clergy’s message comes against a backdrop of growing political activity ahead of the 2027 elections, with politicians and their supporters already engaging in early mobilisation across different parts of the country.

For the church leaders, the warning is clear: Kenya cannot afford to wait until the official campaign period to address political incitement, youth mobilisation and confrontational politics.

In the strongest terms, Owiti condemned the Homa Bay incident and appealed for a national commitment to prevent a repeat of such confrontations.

“With the strongest terms possible, we condemn the Homa Bay incident and pray that the same never happens anywhere in the country,” she said.

The clergy now wants political leaders to lower the temperature, engage opponents through dialogue and ensure that the political ambitions of individuals do not become a source of instability for the wider country.

By Anderson Ojwang

For Rift Valley and Western Kenya, Trans Nzoia has been the heart and motor of politics for the two communities, namely the Luhya and the Kalenjin.

The two communities have for eons tried to upstage one another in the power matrix, but in most cases, the Luhya community has prevailed.

For the Luhya community, Trans Nzoia County has been the bedrock of the community’s leading political lights and heavyweights, including the late Masinde Muliro, the former vice president, the late Wamalwa Kijana, the late George Kapten, the current governor George Natembeya, and DAP-K party leader Eugene Wamalwa, among others.

For the Kalenjin community, they have tried to checkmate the Luhya community through Kipruto Kirwa, former Maendeleo ya Wanawake chairperson Zippora Kittony, Wesley Korir, and Joshua Kuttuny, former MPs for Cherangany, among others.

Cradle

Trans Nzoia County has been the cradle for the Luhya community in its search for the presidency. Muliro became a pillar during the 1990s political agitation for constitutional change.

Kapten and Wamalwa were members of the opposition movement led by the doyen of opposition politics, the late Jaramogi Oginga Odinga, with Wamalwa later inheriting Ford-Kenya from Oginga and domesticating it among the Luhya community.

It was Trans Nzoia that produced the eighth vice president, Wamalwa, in the 2002 presidential election that ended KANU’s reign and rule in the country.

Game Plan

Governor Natembeya, understanding the importance of Trans Nzoia to Luhya politics, engaged Linda Mwananchi co-principals Edwin Sifuna and Geoffrey Osotsi, among others, to chart a new political dispensation for the community.

Natembeya has no love lost between him and President William Ruto and remains one of the fiercest critics of the Kenya Kwanza regime.

It was in Trans Nzoia where Natembeya announced his intention to forgo his presidential ambition in favour of Sifuna and to mobilise the community to support his bid.

In Trans Nzoia, Natembeya held closed-door meetings to set the gears in motion for Sifuna’s presidential bid, and the wave kicked off.

Race

President Ruto and his allies have also been working around the clock to undo Natembeya’s grip on the region ahead of the 2027 presidential elections.

That is why Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, on July 16, 2026, presided over the opening of a facility at the County Assembly and addressed the assembly.

Murkomen wrote: “In my address to the Trans Nzoia County Assembly, I urged MCAs to continue working with us in our fight against political violence, drug and substance abuse, and organized crime.

I commend the Assembly, led by Speaker Hon. Andrew Wanyonyi, for their new Committee Services and Wellness Centre, which will provide a conducive environment for committee work and stakeholder engagement.

We will continue working with County Assemblies across the country to strengthen devolution, secure our country, and enhance service delivery to Kenyans.

I was accompanied by Deputy Inspector General Gilbert Masengeli, Principal Administrative Secretary Beverly Opwora, and Trans Nzoia County Commissioner Alason Hussein, among other senior government officials.”

Invite to the President

The Speaker, Mr. Wanyonyi, on July 22, 2026, wrote a letter inviting President William Ruto to officially commission the newly completed County Assembly administration block and chambers and address the assembly.

President Ruto, in his response through the Head of Public Service dated August 8, 2026, acknowledged receipt of the invitation and accepted it.

It read in part: “His Excellency the President has graciously accepted this invitation and consented to honour the occasion with his presence on Thursday, August 27, 2026, at 2.30 p.m. at the County Assembly.”

The Speaker and the President are reading from a different political script, with Natembeya leading former ODM Secretary General Edwin Sifuna’s presidential push.

Wetang’ula Meeting

Last year, National Assembly Speaker and FORD-Kenya party leader Moses Wetang’ula held talks with over 15 Trans Nzoia Members of County Assembly (MCAs) amid political realignments ahead of the 2027 general election.

“At the request of the county leadership, our discussions focused on key issues affecting the people of Trans Nzoia, from service delivery and development priorities to political cohesion and enhanced cooperation between the National Government and County Governments,” Wetang’ula wrote on his X account on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.

“I reaffirmed my unwavering commitment to continuous engagement with local leaders, emphasising that strong collaboration across all levels of leadership is essential to driving social and economic development in our region.

“I also encouraged the MCAs to remain united in purpose and steadfast in their oversight role, assuring them of my full support as we work to strengthen a seamless and productive relationship with national institutions,” he wrote.

Notice

Similarly, last year, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi also put Natembeya on notice to prepare for defeat in his re-election bid in 2027.

Mudavadi said there were young men and women in UDA who would give Natembeya a run for his money in the election.

“I want to tell Natembeya, don’t act too clever. We have been in politics longer. We are only quiet, but don’t think we cannot do politics. We will take you home in 2027. We have young men and women ready to take over from him,” said Mudavadi.

The PCS said that the people of Trans Nzoia should relieve Natembeya of his duties so that he can pursue being an elder in the community.

“I have seen victory, I have seen defeat, and we know how to navigate the world of politics, but we do polite and peaceful politics,” said Mudavadi.

Response

During the recent Linda Mwananchi rally in Bungoma, Natembeya led the unveiling of Sifuna’s presidential bid and positioned himself as the community spokesperson.

The governor also called on the community to reject Luhya leaders, including Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetang’ula, and Cabinet Secretary Wycliffe Oparanya.

“We have come to unveil our son Sifuna for the presidency. Now it is time to reject Mudavadi, Wetang’ula, and Oparanya. We must also reject the UDA and ODM parties,” he said.

By Anderson Ojwang

A quick intervention and action by two former Permanent Secretaries in President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration saved the multibillion-shilling donor-funded Kabonyo-Kanyagwal aquaculture project from cancellation.

Dr Francis Owino, who served as Permanent Secretary for the State Department for Fisheries, Aquaculture and the Blue Economy, together with his colleague Dr Julius Jwan, then Principal Secretary in the Ministry of Education, moved to domicile the Kabonyo-Kanyagwal project in the Fisheries Ministry.

Jwan, who spoke during a recent Nyanza leadership engagement in Kisumu, said that after Dr Owino was reassigned to the State Department for Fisheries, Aquaculture and the Blue Economy, he was able to move the project from the Department of Veterinary Services, where it had been domiciled.

“The Hungarian government was funding the project, but there was a delay in the rollout. The funding period was coming to an end. We sat down with my colleague, Dr Owino, and strategised on how to rescue it,” he said.

He said there was delayed financing and that the agreement for the project was lapsing in May 2022. Through their intervention, the agreement was extended.

Jwan advised Dr Owino to move the project to his new department, the Fisheries Ministry, and that is how it survived cancellation.

He said the contract period was extended and, when President William Ruto came into power, the project became a priority.

“Our timely intervention stopped the cancellation of the multibillion-shilling Kabonyo-Kanyagwal aquaculture project, and today we are happy that it is becoming a reality,” he said.

Dr Jwan spoke during the Luo Community Economic Engagement in Kisumu, where he explained the importance of the community having its members in government and collaborating with the government of the day.

Works

Construction of the Sh2.5 billion Kabonyo-Kanyagwal Fisheries and Aquaculture Centre of Excellence in Kisumu has resumed.

This followed a recent directive by President Ruto to fast-track the stalled works during a meeting with Kisumu County leaders at State House last month.

Heavy machinery has been deployed to the site, with construction crews back on the ground, a sign of renewed government commitment to the transformative initiative.

The project, which is part of efforts to revitalise Kenya’s blue economy, is a partnership between the Kenyan and Hungarian governments.

Project Engineer Vundi Mbwika said construction, currently at 30 per cent completion, is progressing steadily.

“Five permanent buildings are under construction, and we have begun excavating a canal to manage backflow from Lake Victoria and overflow from River Nyando,” he said.

He added that an 800-metre access road is being developed within the site, alongside a three-metre-wide flood canal to safeguard the facility from rising water levels.

The first phase of the project, he said, was expected to be complete by June 2026.

“Once operational, the facility will produce 28 million fingerlings annually from 20 fish ponds,” he said.

It will also feature administrative blocks, dormitories, staff quarters, a hatchery, cold storage and processing units.

Kisumu Governor Prof. Anyang’ Nyong’o praised the President’s intervention and expressed satisfaction with the ongoing works.

“I want to thank President Ruto for his commitment. He assured us at State House that the project would be delivered, and we are seeing that promise being fulfilled,” said Prof. Nyong’o.

He said the centre will serve as both a production site and a specialised training ground for farmers and fisheries stakeholders, significantly boosting aquaculture in the region.

“Fish bred at the facility will be distributed to smallholder farmers and used to restock Lake Victoria, where fish stocks have declined sharply,” he added.

“Thousands of small-scale fish farmers stand to benefit from this initiative, which aligns with national efforts to enhance food security and increase household incomes in the Lake Region,” he said.

The project, he added, was also poised to create numerous short- and long-term job opportunities for engineers, artisans, architects and other professionals, injecting economic vitality into Kisumu County.

Kisumu County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock Development and Irrigation, Kenneth Onyango, said the project will be a game-changer for Kabonyo-Kanyagwal Ward, an area long plagued by perennial flooding.

“This project will stimulate the local economy through enhanced fish production, infrastructure upgrades and job creation,” he said.

He added that it will also benefit non-fishing communities by mitigating floods and unlocking idle land for farming.

By Valentine Omondi

The planned auction of former Cabinet Secretary Raphael Tuju’s 20-acre Entim Sidai Wellness Sanctuary in Karen failed to take place on Tuesday after none of the prospective buyers who turned up met the requirements to participate in the sale.

The auction had been scheduled for 11am by Garam Auctioneers following the lifting of court orders that had previously shielded the property from disposal.

Tuju was present at the property as the appointed time passed without the auction commencing, prompting him to question an official from Garam Auctioneers.

“You announced the auction to take place at 11am. We came to witness, we have not seen the auction taking place. What does that mean?” Tuju asked.

The auctioneer explained that the sale had not proceeded because none of the people who attended had met the requirements to qualify as bidders.

“The auction has not taken place because none of the people who attended qualified to be bidders. You’re supposed to have a deposit to show your seriousness,” the official said.

Tuju then asked whether the failure to attract a qualified bidder meant the auction had officially been closed or whether the exercise could resume later if another prospective buyer appeared.

The auctioneer said sufficient time had been given to prospective bidders and announced that the exercise would be closed.

“We have waited for bidders long enough and now we’re closing the auction,” the official said.

The failed auction marks the latest development in a years-long legal and financial dispute between Tuju, his companies and the East African Development Bank (EADB) over a loan facility advanced in 2015.

The court orders

Garam Auctioneers had advertised Entim Sidai for sale after temporary court protection previously granted to Tuju lapsed.

On May 21, 2026, the High Court granted Tuju temporary protection against the sale of the property pending determination of his dispute with EADB.

However, Justice Moses Ado attached conditions to the orders, requiring Tuju to deposit KSh50 million in a joint interest-earning account operated by lawyers representing the parties within 30 days.

He was also required to file and serve the record of his appeal within 60 days.

The court warned that failure to comply with either condition would automatically lift the orders stopping the disposal of the property.

The subsequent auction notice by Garam Auctioneers scheduled the sale of Entim Sidai for August 25, 2026.

Tuju has maintained that he complied with the KSh50 million requirement and has continued to challenge the attempted sale through ongoing court and tribunal proceedings.

What is Entim Sidai?

The property, identified as LR No. 11320/3, measures approximately 8.164 hectares, equivalent to about 20.2 acres.

According to the auction notice, the property features a colonial-style nine-bedroom residence, a two-bedroom bungalow, staff quarters, a lawn tennis court and other structures.

It also includes land earmarked for a proposed residential development comprising 12 standalone villas.

The property is among several Karen assets that became security for a loan obtained by Tuju through his company, Dari Limited.

The EADB dispute

EADB says it advanced Dari Limited a facility of approximately US$9.2 million in 2015, which was subsequently defaulted on.

The bank has pursued recovery of the outstanding amount, with interest and other charges substantially increasing the value of the debt.

The dispute has resulted in several legal battles in Kenya and the United Kingdom involving Tuju, his companies and the lender.

Several properties, including Entim Sidai, Tamarind Karen and Dari Business Park, have featured in the dispute.

In March 2026, the High Court struck out Tuju’s amended plaint and lifted interim orders that had restricted EADB and its agents from dealing with the contested properties.

The Court of Appeal had previously upheld the bank’s position, with the court observing that Tuju was “merely hanging onto technicalities” in seeking to avoid obligations arising from the guarantee.

Dari Business Park already sold

While Entim Sidai remains unsold following Tuesday’s failed auction, another property caught up in the dispute has already changed hands.

Dari Business Park was sold at auction, with the High Court later declining to grant orders stopping the transaction after the sale had been completed and ownership transferred.

Justice Moses Otieno held that once the auction was completed and the hammer fell, Tuju’s equity of redemption over the property had been extinguished.

The judge said an aggrieved chargor’s available remedy was therefore damages rather than reversal of the completed sale.

The ruling effectively closed another chapter in Tuju’s battle over the properties used as security for the EADB facility.

What next for Entim Sidai?

Tuesday’s failed auction leaves Entim Sidai in an uncertain position.

No qualified bidder emerged despite the property being formally advertised for sale, meaning ownership did not change hands during the scheduled exercise.

The lender continues to pursue recovery of the debt, while Tuju maintains that the attempted disposal of his properties is being challenged through legal and regulatory processes.

With Entim Sidai now having survived another attempt at disposal, the property remains at the centre of a dispute that has stretched for years and whose final outcome will ultimately depend on the courts and the enforcement processes that follow.