WHAT’S NEXT FOR THE PRECARIOUS MIRAA MARKET?

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 5^th 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 1^st 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.