Is it time to abandon miraa?

The latest yet bigger developments in the miraa industry particularly have left the traders of the leaves on their knees. This is evident in the restlessness depicted by the miraa farmers last few weeks in Maua town, as they made their plights and grumbles known after the Somalian Government called off all flights exporting the drug to Mogadishu from Kenya on 5th September. Since the industry started taking a nose-dive close to half a decade ago with a number of markets closing down, the Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud’s announcement could have potentially been the last nail on the coffin to the drug’s international market imminently throwing most growers of the drug to ultimate penury.

Prior to this shocking news from the Somalian government, there was the ratification of the UK Soldiers’ deal of the Defense Cooperation Agreement between Kenya and the British Governments by the Kenyan legislators on the 1st of September. Much as it was passed, the objections by the Meru and Tharaka Nithi legislators were geared towards having the UK government lifting the ban on import of the miraa to its country from Kenya. The Meru Women Representative, Florence Kajuju noted to the Defence Committee that the UK government is treating the miraa farmers with contempt. Indeed, the rumbles have adverse effect not only to the farmers of this drug but to the economy at large and it could only get worse if the practical and actionable reverse efforts are not made with speed.

The international market for the miraa drug began trimming back in 2012 when the then biggest foreign market, Netherlands, banned its sale prompting an outcry from Kenyan traders of the drug. The period leading to this unfortunate happening then, Kenya used to export about 20 tonnes of miraa weekly which was valued at Ksh. 1.4 million while the local market consumes 60 tonnes weekly of course not of the same grade. The drop in export by these quantities was definitely significant. Two years later, in 2014, the UK government also banned the import of this drug leading the Kenyan economy to lose Sh. 2.69 billion annually. Incidentally, the biggest beneficiaries back then were the consumers in Mogadishu, Somalia, where exporters flooded the market from Kenya. At the time, the miraa prices plummeted to a level where a sack of leaves initially costing $ 500 cost $ 200.

Somalia was the remaining foreign market for miraa for the Kenyan farmers and the latest message from its government even though there has been an intervention by our own, President Uhuru, has an adverse effect. After close to a half century dependence on the miraa business for livelihood by the Meru residents, there seems that no amount of noise could change the countries that have banned the sale of miraa that they would buy something they do not want. Presumably, the farmers would need to look for other options for earning a living much as it has been their business for years.

Perhaps one of the very pertinent questions that as a country we should ask ourselves as an introspection is, what has changed that the traditional markets had to close down? Is there a reason to why the numerous countries no longer want to buy miraa? Undoubtedly, the innumerable effects that come from the usage of the drug have taken precedence in the decision making to ban its trade in most of these countries. Ranging from the erosion of the teeth, eating away the stomach walls, causing fatigue and making a chewer to be unproductive at work among others and disorganizing the whole society by killing values generally, are some of the prime reasons often presented for the ban. Had it been not the backbone of a society in Kenya for livelihood, strongly protected by both the political and a bigger portion of social class that utilizes it, the use of miraa could definitely have been banned in Kenya too.

Having been banned as a dangerous stimulant in Tanzania, much of Europe, the United States, Canada and several other countries, including most recently, the near-total ban in Somalia, it is no doubt the market for this drug has significantly shrank and much needs to be done by national government than the mere political and populist actions such as the one noticed mid this year by the president’s giving Ksh. 1 billion to boost the farmers of miraa in Meru. Much controversial as it might have seemed as an encouragement to the youths in the region to keep chewing the leaves there needs to be a rethink and development of a better economic activity, suggestively farming, to save the plunging economy of the region. It is true that many individuals have lost jobs in Meru and the Somalis in Eastleigh due to this inadvertent eventuality, but is also imperative that as a country we wake to the reality that the probable chances of returning to the traditional markets is quite minimal and turn to something new.

Nonetheless, this is indubitably elusive to achieve considering that it is inherent in the farmers of the drug. The beauty is that, though, the farmers can start practicing to grow other goods for export. A couple of fruits and flowers for export which are actually relatively lucrative too could be part of the options that the farmers have. As of Marijuana, more than half of the 50 US states have legalized recreational and medical marijuana potentially providing a market for the drug. The local leaders can amicably address this issue by establishing a team that could research on the best plant to do and provide the logistical support to debut of the transition.

As the county heads of the region push the national government to move with speed to coax the Somalia government to have a permanent trade arrangement on acceptability of the leaves, to avert similar counting of losses by the Meru residents, it is high time we thought on the other best thing we could do to earn a living. It is sad that due to the past trade policy mistakes and developments, a number of families can no longer afford school fees for their children in schools. It should not happen in such an economy that all areas are seeking to grow from poverty and ignorance.

It is only when we accept the reality of the situations we find ourselves in that we can embrace the positive change that impact our society for the better not only presently but into the future. This is the only way we could save a community in the verge of leading lives of penury not just transiently, but for the longest time.