Team to lobby UK on ‘miraa’ ban next week

By MUNENE KAMAU

MERU COUNTY, KENYA: A parliamentary committee will next week visit the UK parliament to lobby against the intended miraa ban.

The National Assembly Committee on Agriculture will meet members of the House of Commons to discuss the miraa issue.

This was disclosed during a fundraiser at Maili Tatu in Meru County to raise money towards the legal fees for the court case that miraa farmers have instituted against the UK government over their move to restrict its sale and consumption. More than Sh10 million was raised.

MPs from miraa growing areas, which include Meru and Embu counties, are expected to question why the ban was imposed unilaterally without consulting consumers and retailers in the UK.

The delegation will also include Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi and county woman representative Florence Kajuju.

Health dangers

The two legislators are listed as among those to adduce evidence in the suit.

Also present were Senate Majority Leader and Tharaka Nithi Senator Prof Kithure Kindiki and Chuka Igambang’ombe MP Muthomi Njuki.

President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Deputy William Ruto sent their Sh5 million donation through Kindiki, who assured the farmers that the Government was fully behind their course. “To impose a ban on miraa to us is like slapping a ban against cattle rearing to Maasai and Samburu communities, or removing fish from water, which in essence means death,” said Njuki.

The leaders also took issue with Garissa and Machakos governors for introducing ‘punitive’ by-laws, meant to stifle miraa trade.

“I want to advise the Garissa governor to first ask locals in that county if they can survive without miraa, since majority of them derive their livelihood from the sale of the stimulant,” said Kiraitu.

Kiraitu said the UK government should have enquired more on if the stimulant posed any major health dangers before introducing the ban.