Drop hard stance on muguka, Linturi tells coastal governors ahead of stakeholders' meeting

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has implored the six coastal governors to embrace dialogue where muguka, the stimulant, is concerned, following their declaration that they would skip a stakeholders' meeting with him to address all key concerns.

Leaders of all six coastal counties that form the Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani economic bloc said on Monday that they wanted to speak directly with President William Ruto, not go through the CS, with whom a meeting is set for Thursday.

Abdulswamad Sheriff Nassir (Mombasa), Gideon Mung'aro (Kilifi), Andrew Mwadime (Taita Taveta), Fatuma Achani (Kwale), Dhadho Gaddae Godhana (Tana River), and Issa Timamy (Lamu) said that they would, therefore, not attend the meeting with Linturi.

In his plea to them on Monday, Linturi said challenges in the sale of muguka in these counties, three of which have already banned its entry, transportation, distribution, sale, and use, could only be handled through dialogue, not protests and name-calling.

Mombasa, Kilifi, and Taita Taveta have prohibited the stimulant, while Lamu, Tana River, and Kwale have not. Kwale has, however, increased transportation charges per lorry of muguka entering the county, from Sh10,000 to Sh300,000, in an effort to control trade and use.

Downplaying claims by the county bosses that he would be an impartial arbiter in the matter, following his past public pronouncements on the crop, Linturi said he would be defending the law that guides all Kenyans, not representing any region's interests.

"It is only through dialogue with all actors that we will find a lasting solution to the concerns raised. The platform will also enable us to agree on how the existing legislation will be implemented to the latter," Linturi said.

These developments come a week after President Ruto declared muguka and miraa legal in Kenya, nullified the ban by the three coastal counties, and directed Linturi to convene a meeting to discuss the emerging issues.

The six coastal governors have remained adamant and say they want a meeting similar to the one the president had with leaders from Embu County, which grows muguka.

In a June 3 letter to the Agriculture minister, in which they declared their stance on Monday, the six governors said, "We regret to inform you that the six-member county governments, duly represented by the undersigned governors, jointly decline to attend the proposed forum scheduled for Thursday.

“As the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, you have publicly pronounced yourself on the constitutional and legal positions taken by Mombasa, Kilifi, and Taita County governors to ban muguka (Gazette Notice 6482 of Executive Order No. 1 of 2024). According to your statements dated May 29, 2024, your ministry's position is one of protecting the socio-economics of the producing counties,” the letter stated.

Ruto had announced that governors Abdulswamad, Mung'aro, and Mwadime had agreed to take part in the meeting chaired by CS Linturi.

During an interview on Weru TV on Monday evening, Linturi noted that miraa and muguka were scheduled crops under the Crops Act of 2013 and Miraa Regulations of 2023, passed by the National Assembly and the Senate, with the support of the Council of Governors (CoG), hence the government's commitment of Sh500 million for value addition.

"I will gazette the Miraa/Muguka Pricing Committee as provided for in the Act to help come up with a structured way of regulating farming and the sale of the stimulant," he said while urging growers to consider adding value to the crop and manufacturing beverages for a higher income.

"I will not shy away from telling leaders the painful truth. The existing law must be followed," he asserted.