Motion to ban miraa use by PSV drivers rejected

Mombasa County Assembly has rejected a motion proposing a ban on consumption of miraa (khat) by public service drivers.

The motion, moved by nominated MCA Fatuma Swaleh Mote on Thursday afternoon, proposed that miraa chewing compromised road safety and that all Public Service Vehicle (PSV) operators in the county should be barred from consuming it while behind the wheel.

Mote said miraa chewing was rampant among PSV operators to the extent that it compromised road safety and endangered the lives of residents.

“This house resolves that all drivers including taxis, matatu drivers, touts, tuktuk drivers and motorbike riders refrain from chewing miraa while driving,” read the motion.

The motion suffered defeat when speaker Thadius Rajwayi finally put it to a vote ending a heated debate.

It was defeated by a vote of seven for and 11 against in an electrifying debate that involved allegations that the twigs are libido enhancers, which boost sexual performance.

POSSIBLE EFFECTS

Kongowea MCA Jabess Oduor vehemently opposed the motion saying miraa provides profound benefits to the male PSV operators.

He confessed to being a miraa consumer and said it empowered him to provide conjugal rights for his five wives and some concubines.

“There are many types of miraa. The magic lies in selecting the right type to suit your needs. I reject this proposal because I can attest that miraa has made me a powerful man,” Oduor said, causing laughter in the assembly.

Miji wa Kale/Makadara MCA Amur Murfad supported the motion and rubbished  Oduor’s claims, saying chewing miraa caused him to fail in providing conjugal rights.

“Miraa has a negative effect on a person’s sexual performance. I was once lured by a friend into chewing the twigs and ended up failing to perform in bed,” he said.

Nominated MCA Priscila Mumba supported the motion saying PSV operators end up overworking themselves by using miraa as a stimulant to help them stay awake for longer, which in turn makes them unable to provide conjugal rights to their partners.

“PSV operators should not use miraa because this results in fatigue as the body is made to overwork. A driver in this state of mind is a dangerous one not to mention that their sexual performance is also compromised,” she said.

DISTRACTED DRIVERS

Nominated member Mary Akinyi said PSV operators use groundnuts or chewing gum to help them chew the miraa, which diverts their attention from driving and exposes passengers to danger.

Port Reitz MCA Fadhil Mwalimu Makarani warned that a miraa chewing ban for any group of people in the country would prove to the United Kingdom that indeed khat has negative effects.

“If Mombasa county restricts its use, it will appear to justify the UK miraa ban and destroy our overseas markets for the produce,” he said.

Kipevu MCA Ibrahim Kondo said the mover failed to provide statistics to show how many road accidents have been caused due to miraa chewing.

Mikindani member Duncan Onyango said PSV drivers are among the biggest consumers of miraa and banning them from using it would adversely affect the market.

“Many people are jobless and can earn a living from selling khat. Banning miraa use from among some of the top consumers will further compound this issue of joblessness,” he said.