Kenya lobbies UK over miraa

By Moses Njagih and Patrick Muthuri

Kenya: Meru Senator Kiraitu Murungi now claims the British government put measures to regulate sale of miraa (khat) in the country after being misled to believe that Kenyans living in areas where the stimulant is grown do not have enough food.

Kiraitu further revealed that the Government, through Foreign Affairs Cabinet Secretary Amina Mohammed, has joined in the lobby to stop the United Kingdom from legislating a law that would impose a ban on miraa in Britain.

The senator said the Cabinet Secretary has already held talks with British officials in a bid to convince the government against banning the stimulant.

Kenya exports about six tonnes of miraa per week to Britain, but Kiraitu has expressed fears the country could lose more than Sh4 billion per year from the UK market alone, if the stimulant is banned.

Already British Home Secretary Ms Theresa May has prepared a draft law banning miraa. The proposed law is before the House of Commons’ Committee on Home Affairs, which deals with drugs.

And the parliamentary miraa ad hoc committee, which is in the UK has lobbied several committees in the House of Commons and the business community in London to have the ban imposed on the commodity early this year withdrawn.

Speaking from London, the committee chairperson Florence Kajuju said they will today meet with the representative from the Drugs Advisory Council and the shadow secretary of state, who are expected to discuss the matter with Ms May.

Kajuju said they had established that there are only two importers of khat in London and allegations that the proceeds from sale of miraa go to support terror activities were not true.

Kajuju, who is also the Meru County Women Representative said the case filed at the International Court of Justice will kick off soon and they anticipate getting the directive by May repealed. The committee is expected to end its tour today.