Difficult times ahead as American billionaire investor Calvin Burgess gives up multi-billion Dominion Farms in Siaya County after ugly fight with Raila,

American billionaire investor gives up multi-billion investment after controversy that ropped in Raila

Charles Ouma

January 26, 2020 9:27 AM

22-pages dossier released in 2017 detailed alleged underhand dealings by Raila

File image of Raila Odinga with Siaya Senator James Orengo at a past event in Siaya County Calvin Burgess, in 2027, accused Odinga and ODM of demanding millions from him to finance campaigns

American billionaire investor investor Calvin Burgess who owned Dominion farms in Siaya county has sold the propert after a vicious and ugly fight with Raila Odinga.

According to a dossier he released in 2017, Burgess’s troubles that eventually saw him sell the property that employed thousands in the region began in 2017 to fund Raila and his ODM party (to the tune of tens of millions) in the run-up to the 2007 general election.

Calvin Burgess, the Dominion Farms Ltd CEO addressing the press at Six Eighty Hotel in Nairobi on February 8, 2017 when he accused Raila Odinga and ODM of demanding millions from his firm to fund campaigns Pulse Live Kenya

Daily Nation on Sunday, January 26 reported that the 3700-acre farm would be sold to Lake Agro company which is reportedly by the influential Rai family.

A gazette notice dated January 13, the 3700 indicated that Lake Agro company that is reportedly owned by Jasweet Singh Rai, Tejveer Singh Rai and Onkar Singh of the Rai family will be the new owners of the property.

Thousands of families affected

This marks the end of an era for Dominion farms that offered a lifeline and development to thousands of Kenyans, and whose entry was marked with significant infrastructural improvement in the area.

Other than providing employment, Dominion, in its 17years built roads, an airstrip and supported infrastructural projects in schools.

In the wake of the scandal in 2017, former Gem MP Jakoyo Midiwo came out to defend Raila and ODM.

“We know he is planning to relocate, but we want him to leave the farm machinery intact because they were bought in this country with money generated from the sweat of our people. Odinga is not a beggar as Burgess is trying to portray him. We are not going to allow him to continue tainting the image of our leaders,” Midiwo stated.

The firm was accused of failing to honour an MoU wit the county government, aerial spraying of its crops and blocking two roads.

Charles Ouma