Nairobi Kenya — President William Ruto has directed the Ministry of Agriculture to convene a consultative forum on Muguka Regulations following a ban in two coastal counties over health concerns.
In a statement on Monday, Ruto insisted Muguka is a variety of Miraa and is a scheduled crop under the Crops Act 2013 and thus should be regulated under the Miraa Regulations (2023).
The Crops Act 2013 lists Miraa under crops with no breeding program.
Ruto directed the expedited formation of a Miraa/Muguka pricing committee under the Crops Act 2013.
He said the Council of Governors has already nominated three members to the committee.
"With Mũgũka having been recognized by national legislation, any other laws or order that contradicts national legislation is null and void," State House announced.
"The Crops Act 2013 and the Miraa Regulations 2023 were passed by the National Assembly and the Senate and with the concurrence of the Council of Governor."
The government has committed to allocate Sh500 million in 2024/25 Financial year for the value addition of the scheduled crops.
Ruto said the future of Miraa/Muguka is in scaling up farming aggregation, grading, pricing, packaging, and value addition.
"Having been passed by Parliament, the regulations obligate the Government to allocate funds for the farming, licensing, promotion, regulation, transportation, aggregation, selling, marketing and export of the crop," State House noted.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
The President made the remarks after meeting leaders from Embu County led by Governor Cecily Mbarire, MPs and MCAs.
Muguka ban
This directive comes after Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Nassir and his Kilifi counterpart Gideon Mung'aro gave executive orders barring any entry, use, and sale of muguka in their counties in response to health concerns.
They both cited its detrimental effects on the youth of Mombasa.
The Governors highlighted the pervasive consumption of the stimulant drug at the Coast, including among school-going children. Muguka is predominantly cultivated in Embu County on the lower parts of Mbeere South and North Constituencies.
However, on May 25, 2024, Embu County vowed to move to court to challenge the move by Mombasa and Kilifi banning the supply, sale, and consumption of muguka, a substance containing still cathinone.
Embu Deputy Governor Kinyua Mugo said there was no justification for banning muguka claiming there is no scientific evidence to prove that muguka was a drug.
He said there was no single law prohibiting its sale or consumption.
Mugo said they will seek orders lifting the ban as they seek other avenues of unlocking the stalemate.
"Muguka and Miraa are like the same. We are reading politics. There is mischief, and we believe everything is being done with bad faith. Because we have had engagements with the Mombasa government and they still went behind our back and gave the others," he said.
Mugo said the move would disadvantage players in the multi-billion value chain including farmers, traders and transporters.
