Continental Tobacco Company Limited in Hoima has been given up to March 25 to clear all the outstanding payments for Tobbacco farmers.
Abdul Swamad Wantimba the Hoima Deputy Resident District Commissioner issued the ultimatum on Monday. He was addressing about 30 tobacco farmers from Kitoba Sub County at the Continental Tobacco Company offices in Kiryatete Hoima Municipality.
On Monday, the farmers pitched camp at the Tobacco Company offices demanding pay. The farmers who claim to have represented a group of others say they are demanding a total of over 120 million shillings from the company.�
Led by Joshua Isingoma, the aggrieved group said the money accrues from the tobbaco they supplied to the company in June 2010.
Isingoma says he is personally demanding one million shillings as part payment for his 1.5 tones of tobacco that he sold the company. The first payment of 1.5 million shillings was effected in September last year.
Aisha Mboneko, representing the women farmers, accused the company officials of continuously lying to them with promises of payment in vain.
The farmers also re-echoed their earlier accusations against the company for cheating them by altering the receipts.
Wantimba said his office is now fed up with complaints over non payment by continental company. He vowed not to hold this anymore and gave the company a grace period of up to March 25 to have paid the farmers.
Wantimba says short of this, he would seek legal action against the tobacco company.
Samuel Sumuni, the tobacco company area manager, pledged to clear all outstanding claims by Wednesday.
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