Miraa sold near Pumwani in Eastleigh. [David Gichuru]
Miraa farmers and traders in Meru County have blamed the National Government for the loss of Somalia and other international markets.
Six Meru MPs and 10 MCAs with hundreds of farmers and traders who met at Burieruri High School in Igembe Central on Friday said the government had not shown goodwill in efforts to have the Somalia market restored.
The leaders attended the meeting after the ="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/farmkenya/news/article/2001383549/cash-for-miraa-is-safe-meru-court-told">farmers .
Mutugi said they summoned the leaders to explain what they had done to assist in restoring lost markets.
The MPs said though the closure of the Somali market could have been solved through diplomatic means and the ="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/farmkenya/article/2001370850/relief-for-miraa-traders-as-new-rules-spur-business">miraa Led by Senator Mithika Linturi the MPs said they had done their best to address problems facing miraa farmers, but the government had not been helpful in regaining lost markets and securing new ones.
In a charged atmosphere, the MPs and MCAs said the ="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/farmkenya/news/article/2001383418/commodities-fund-tells-court-it-is-still-developing-miraa-fund-modalities">miraa
They said the government had reneged on the major election pledge that had convinced them to vote for it, hoping for better returns from the crop.
“The problem we have is a creation of the (Kenyan) government itself,” said Linturi.
He said as MPs they will do their part, “but the government has blocked its ears.”
Linturi said if the issue of the lost markets was not addressed in 14 days, the miraa community will take to the streets to protest.
Igembe Central MP Kubai Kiringo and his Igembe South counterpart John Paul Mwirigi also put the blame on the government for the problems facing ="https://youtu.be/fHDga8MNyMU">farmers<.
“As MPs we have done our best. The challenge is at a higher level,” said Kiringo, and recounted how he and former Igembe North MP Joseph Eruaki were blocked from boarding a KQ flight to Mombasa with their ="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/farmkenya/article/2001372656/farmers-oppose-sh300m-loan-plan">miraa<.
“There is no goodwill,” he said.
Mwirigi said their wish is for the Somalia market, the biggest outlet for the stimulant, to be re-opened.
He said the Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti and South Africa were potential ="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/farmkenya/news/article/2001383779/miraa-farmers-woes-take-centre-stage-as-meru-politicians-hit-campaign-trail">markets “Even as schools re-open many parents from here cannot raise fees, because of lost markets which earned them good money in the past,” said the lawmaker.
He urged State House to inform them of any development on the intervention it had taken regarding the Somalia market.
He said: “The Jubilee brigade came (in the run-up to the 2017 poll) and said it will secure markets for miraa. We also want a miraa board formed, to champion miraa interests.”
Buuri MP Mugambi Rindikiri said the government had to give the miraa farmers their rights to markets because it was an election pledge.
“Our problem is markets and it is the government who should resolve the Somali market issue,” Rindikiri said.
