Miraa farmers to wait longer for solution

Just when things were looking up for thousands of miraa farmers, a cloud of uncertainty has emerged.

The work of the taskforce appointed to look into ways of rescuing miraa farmers in the aftermath of the United Kingdom ban on the crop, hangs in the balance after religious, community and a section of politicians went to court to halt its operations.

While a section of leaders and farmers in the miraa-growing Meru North welcomed President Uhuru Kenyatta's decision to form the taskforce, a section of religious and political leaders rushed to court with a petition to stop it from performing its mandate, including looking at alternative markets and crops to rescue miraa farmers.

Through the Kenya Gazette Notice No 3131 of May 5, 2015, the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries appointed a taskforce to spearhead the development of the industry.

The 10-member taskforce, chaired by Joseph Miriti, was supposed to propose strategies and interventions that will support the development of miraa by lobbying for the recovery of lost markets.

It was also mandated to undertake research on miraa agronomy, variety improvement, product development and value addition.

Further, it was tasked with coming up with programmes to develop the capacity of farmers so that they can improve the quality of miraa.

But a group of leaders from miraa-growing areas went to the High Court in Milimani, Nairobi, where Justice Odunga issued an order restraining the taskforce from starting their work.

Those seeking for the disbandment of the taskforce and appointment of a new one claim the members are friends and relatives of politicians from the area.

Reverend Joseph Gichunge of the African Independent Pentecostal Church of Agrica, who is also a miraa farmer, says:

"We want a taskforce that will look for alternative markets, not crops. We know American and UK donors have given Sh600 million for the taskforce to work and to convince miraa farmers to replace their miraa trees with other crops. We are against that. In addition, we are seeing a situation where the Sh600 million will be wasted."

BEST INTEREST

But Igembe North MP Joseph M'eruaki said those who have gone to court do not have the best interests of the long suffering farmers at heart.

"We have been crying to the national government to come to our rescue for a long time. The Government has heard our cry and appointed a team to come up with resolutions to support miraa industry but some people now want to stop those efforts," said Mr M'eruaki

Mike Makarena, who Rev Gichunge says is the spokesman of miraa farmers, said as much as they are thankful to President Kenyatta for stepping in to rescue farmers, they are against the task force.

"We want new markets, not crops. Miraa has been and will always be our lifeline," Mr Makarena said.