End of muguka era in Mombasa as CSOs back ban

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has banned muguka in the region.

There will be a total prohibition on entry, transportation, distribution, sale and use of muguka and its products within the county.

While issuing the executive order at the Port Reitz hospital, Nassir said the decision was made after extensive public consultations and input from the National Authority for the Campaign against Drug Abuse.

“Our agencies have confirmed that muguka is causing widespread effects especially in the younger generation. We have tried to work and come up with regulations, see how we can co-exist and ensure that our children do not get spoiled but those who were dealing with this business have refused, thus the reason for this decision," he said. 

"I have looked at all these factors, I have consulted legally and it is found to be in order,” the governor added.

Nassir also ordered the closure of all retail and wholesale shops selling muguka. Similarly, no motor vehicles transporting the product will be allowed entry into the county.

Muguka has very high levels of cathine and cathinone and an average of about 20 leaves is enough to make users have "toxic imaginations".

“Imagine a child consuming this during school hours. We have opened outreach centers where the department of education over the last couple of months have been talking and advising children. They found out in their report that the issue of muguka has been raised by the children themselves to be a problem,” he said.

“I hope members of the public will appreciate it because this is a decision whose time has come to be made.”

CSOs under the umbrella of Jumuiya ya Mashirika ya Pwani have supported the initiative and urged other leaders in the region to do the same.

Yusuf Yule, the Executive Director of Human Rights Agenda Executive,  termed it as a bold action.

“We as Jumuiya ya Mashirika ya Pwani organisations are in support of the executive order that was issued by the governor on the ban of muguka in Mombasa county. We believe this is a very good, important and timely step," Yule said. 

He added that the conversation had been ongoing for a while, but many leaders were afraid to make the hard decision and implement it.

“Our call is to urge all the six coastal county governors to follow the same step and ban the usage of muguka in their counties because it is clear that the effects of the plant have really dominated.” 

The directive will help the youth, Yule said, adding that they will partner with the government in its implementation.

“We know there is going to be a lot of political baggage that will come with this stand but we will work together with coastal leaders and beyond to implement this.”

Nicholas Sogora, executive director Manyatta Africa, said they work with youth and majority have been affected. Their bodies deteriorate and they develop mental health cases due to the usage of muguka.

“We have heard those in business saying that they depend on the business to educate their children. Why can’t they use the same farms to plant other things just the way we are doing instead of putting the lives of our youth in danger?” 

Sogora said they will join other partners including teachers unions to support the directive.

He also urged other region leaders to follow Nassir’s step, saying they are losing the generation at the coast. All 47 counties should emulate the same, Sogora said, because this is "going to be a national disaster".

“We want our Members of Parliament to ensure that they push on the change of agendas that are affecting Kenyans, not just to focus on agendas related to corruption. We need to see change in terms of policy.” 

Haki Africa Executive Director Yusuf Mahmoud said research shows muguka causes mental health problems, which the World Health Organization says is a disease that should be addressed.

“In the policy of the government, health issues are rights of human beings and we are people who take care of the rights of people. Therefore we support the initiative because it is in line with the rights of humans and the issue of health among youth is a responsibility of national and county government,” he said.

Muguka is not among substances listed in the Narcotic drug and psychotropic Act, Mahmoud said, and MPs should help to have it added to the list in order to protect the youth. 

Taib Abdulrahman, the executive director at Reach Out Center, said they have reached 1,500 people in the last one year, 52 per cent of whom are youth.

He said the number of those reached aged between 10 to 15 years is rising, and 30 per cent of youth aged 15 to 25 years have psychiatric problems.