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Here is a summary and analysis: Summary: - The article discusses President Ruto's attempts to reform Kenya's sugar sector dominated by baron Jaswant Rai. - It outlines how Ruto pledged a new investor for Mumias and ordered all litigants, including Rai, to withdraw court cases blocking its operations. - Rai suffered a kidnapping and then instructed lawyers to withdraw all obstruction cases. He also mediated other litigants' withdrawal. - Ruto aims to revive struggling state mills, write off debt, and lease them to new private investors instead of privatization. - Reform aims to lower sugar prices, boost farmers' incomes, and curb barons' influence for political gain in their strongholds. Analysis: This underscores the entrenched economic and political interests challenging meaningful reforms. Rai's dominant position had stifled competition and change for decades. Ruto is strategically using Mumias' revival and lower prices to win Western votes from Raila's stronghold while curbing barons' power. However, vested interests like Rai who face losses will resist this. His kidnapping and sudden cooperation hints at coercive pressure applied. While welcoming changes, ensuring transparent processes and protecting farmers' rights will be crucial to succeed. Merely replacing one set of well-connected investors with others may not alter the structures facilitating exploitation. Deep-rooted reform of the sector's political economy is needed to prevent its recurrence. This includes strengthening independent regulation, enforcing fair practices and competition to benefit smallholders on a sustainable basis. Overall, Ruto's actions signal much-needed will for change but navigating powerful opponents and establishing robust ground-level reforms will determine outcomes.