TRADERS of miraa are planning to sue Nacada and Kenya Airports Authority for statements and actions they claim have injured their business over the last few months.
Spokesperson for the Nyambene Miraa Traders Association Kimathi Munjuri said yesterday that dealers of the drug have been unable to fly the commodity to some local destinations following an embargo by KAA in May.
"Preparations are at an advanced stage to sue Nacada for baselessly labeling miraa a drug. The same goes for KAA for their embargo on Miraa carriage by air on local flights to local destinations like Lokichogio and Lodwar," said Munjuri.
"We only became aware of it when we took miraa for airlift to Lockichoggio and Lodwar by Fly 540 & ALS only to be told KAA had embargoed miraa carriage."
The National Authority for Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse last week said miraa as a drug alters the users ability to make decisions and also affects the reproductive system hence its sale in the country should be checked.
"We recognise that it is a drug... it is a stimulant and it alters the decision making processes and affects the reproductive system," said Nacada Chief Executive William Okedi.
"Despite its harmful effects, it has not been on radar of international anti-narcotic bodies for all these years. In Kenya we have not legislated on it
The comments have piled woes on miraa traders, especially in areas where it is the economic backbone such as Meru. This is because Nacada's announcement comes shortly after UK, the product's last European export market, banned the sale.
Furthermore the uncertainty over when the ban becomes effective is hampering proper future planning for the miraa businesses, exporters said.
"On the other hand, we have not gotten any indication from UK on when they intend to effect the ban but we are aware that the legislative process towards the same is on going as nothing has been done to stop it," said Kimathi.
The African Youth Network has also written to the British High Commission in Nairobi calling on the UK government to rescind the decision to ban Miraa.
In the letter which has also been signed by Nicholas Muthomi of the Meru Youth Network, the group says the ban is a big blow to Meru County since 80 per cent of its residents are employed directly or indirectly by its trade.
"Miraa helps in reducing the balance of payment between Kenya and UK which has over the years been in favour of the UK," said the Network in the letter dated July 8.
An estimated 80,000 tonnes of miraa are exported to UK weekly, roughly translates to a value of $725,714 (Sh62.2 million).
It is usually exported four times weekly with Kenya Airways being the biggest aviation partner of miraa exporters charging $4.30 per kilo for the cargo.
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