Machakos Governor calls for public participation on muguka consumption

Residents of Machakos County will be subjected to public participation in the sale and consumption of muguka.

Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti announced that she will not implement a ban on muguka until gathering public input.

"I'm coming to you (Machakos residents) to carry out a public participation exercise on Muguka, because I cannot ban it on my own. I need to engage you in order to agree on the way forward. I need to hear for you as the residents of Machakos because muguka has ruined our children," Ndeti said at Mavoko SPN Primary School during a Seventh Day Adventist Congress.

The governor also called on the church to help in instilling the right morals in the youths to help curtail the escalation of drug abuse and other vices.

"I am also counting on the help of the church to eradicate the drug menace. If every church can talk to the youths, we will make a difference," she said.

Ndeti also said she was alarmed at the rate of drug abuse in the county and urged religious leaders to help stop the trend.

The governor noted that most of the convicts serving jail terms were youths and that is why she was initiating the Machakos Youth Service which will help curb the problem.

Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti speaking at the Seventh Day Adventist Church Women and Men Congress at SNP Primary School in Mavoko, Machakos County on June 8, 2024. (Photo: X/Wavinya Ndeti)

The county boss revealed that she was working on a rehabilitation programme dubbed "Machakos Youths Service" for those addicted to drugs.

"That's why I came up with the idea of Machakos Youth Service where we will train them and rehabilitate those addicted," Ndeti added.

The muguka debate comes after Mombasa, Taita Taveta and Kilifi counties last month banned entry, transportation, distribution, sale, and use of muguka within their boundaries. Lamu County has also banned the street sale of muguka.

Declined invite

Last week, lawmakers from the Coast region declined an invite for a consultative meeting with Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi to discuss the muguka ban.

In a statement on May 31, Linturi invited lawmakers from the Coast region for the meeting scheduled for June 6, 2024, at Maanzoni Lodge.

The meeting followed a directive by President William Ruto for Linturi to convene a meeting with stakeholders to address concerns raised on the sale and use of the addictive stimulant.

I'm coming to you (Machakos residents) to carry out a public participation exercise on Muguka, because I cannot ban it on my own. I need to engage you in order to agree on the way forward. pic.twitter.com/7PzXChDH8l

— Wavinya Ndeti Oduwole, EGH (@Wavinya_Ndeti) June 9, 2024

However, the lawmakers under the Coast Parliamentary Group and MPs for Taita Taveta, Mombasa and Kilifi thanked the CS for the invitation but declined to attend the meeting saying they view muguka as an illicit drug.

"Humbly and respectfully we decline the invitation on the basis that we view muguka as an illicit drug as provided in The Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act No. 4 of 1994 and not as a cash crop under the Crops Act," they said in a joint statement.

The coastal leaders had cited concerns about muguka's classification as an illicit drug under the Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act No. 4 of 1994.

Also, in May 2023, the National Authority for the Campaign against Drug Abuse (Nacada) said the most problematic khat is the type known as muguka.

The MPs said that they acted with firm and clear instructions from their constituents.

"We are unable to sit at the same table and negotiate with people who are hell-bent on pushing the continuous consumption of a substance that is destroying people at the Coast under the guise of an Agricultural crop," they said.

The leaders called on the CS to remove miraa and muguka as scheduled crops from the Crops Act.

They also want his support in assigning it rightly as a narcotic through the introduction of an amendment Bill in the Houses of Parliament.

Harmful

"The position of NACADA is that miraa is harmful and muguka is even more harmful. This is why we are discouraging expansion of markets and are against attempts to process it into juices and wine," said Nacada CEO Victor Okioma

However, leaders from muguka growing areas have backed a law that will see muguka and miraa farmers taxed, but protected.

In a meeting in Machakos last Thursday, the leaders said they support the law because it guarantees the protection of farmers and traders.

"Miraa/muguka has a fully funded Directorate from the Government of Kenya established under the Agriculture and Food Authority Act (The Miraa/Muguka, Pyrethrum, and other Industrial Crops Directorate (MPICD)) to regulate, develop, and promote miraa, pyrethrum, and other industrial crops subsectors in Kenya," Embu Governor Cecily Mbarire said when she read the statement on behalf of leaders from Embu, Meru, Kirinyaga and Tharaka Nithi counties.

The forum was convened by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock and brought together a diverse group of stakeholders, including MPs, county government officials, miraa farmers, traders and research experts.

The leaders protested bans and irregular levies imposed on miraa and muguka by Coast counties.

The Crops (Miraa) Regulations, 2023 was published on April 5, 2023, to provide the regulatory framework for the miraa subsector in Kenya, but has never been fully implemented.

According to the Crops (Miraa) Regulations, the Cabinet Secretary may by a notice in the gazette impose a levy on miraa produce or products.

"There shall be a levy imposed on miraa products destined for export based on Free on Board value at a rate of two per cent, imported miraa products at a rate of four per cent of the customs value," the regulations read.