Linturi censures Nacada for classifying miraa as drug

Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi has criticised Nacada terming the state agency a rogue institution for classifying miraa as a drug.

Linturi said the miraa, and its variant muguka, have been recognised as a crop by various laws in the country, particularly, the Crop Act, 2013.

Consequently, he said, the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada), a government agency, is not justified to hold a different position.

Appearing before the Senate’s Delegated Legislation committee on Monday, the CS accused Nacada CEO Victor Okioma of declaring miraa a drug.

He said former Nacada bosses including Frank Njenga and John Mututho had in the past agreed that miraa is a crop and not a drug, but that position has now been vacated by Okioma.

“Nacada is a rogue for permanently giving inconsistent positions in regards to miraa,” Linturi told the committee chaired by Tharaka Nithi Senator Mwenda Gataya.

The CS said Njenga and Mututho had said miraa is not a drug and its sale can be authorised, but the inconsistencies are brought about by the fellow who is there now.

Linturi appeared before the panel which was considering the Crops (Miraa) Regulations 2023, aimed at promoting, developing and regulating the miraa industry.

He said the fight to have miraa recognised as a crop has been long-drawn and it is unfortunate that the current Nacada office holders are contradicting their predecessors.

The CS argued that the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act relied upon by Nacada only classifies cathinone and cathine, extracts of the crop, as a drug but not miraa in its natural form.

“We have gone through a lot to see two chemicals found in miraa, cathinone and cathine, removed from being classified as a drug in our laws and the issues have been addressed,” he said.

Linturi’s concerns came after Nacada in May this year listed miraa among top drugs of abuse in the country together with alcohol and tobacco among 15-65-year-olds, with miraa or muguka users being more than 960,000.

The Nacada boss argued that miraa is a drug that “is responsible for many substances use disorders” as it contains psychotropic substances that make people addicted.

He said the agency would oppose attempts to have miraa value-added products such as juice and wine.

“There are people who are in rehabilitation centres for use of miraa. However, the most problematic khat is the type known as muguka,” Okioma said.

“The position of Nacada is that miraa is harmful and muguka is even more harmful. This is why we are discouraging expansion of markets and are against attempts to process it into juices and wine. Unless they have found a way of removing the harmful constituents, we will oppose it,” he added.

However, Linturi said President William Ruto’s government holds a different view and has embarked on a vigorous campaign to market miraa as a crop.

He explained that the government is keen on opening new markets for miraa, and even recently sent a delegation to Ethiopia, Yemen and Israel to explore available markets for miraa before the ongoing war broke out.

“The government has even set aside Sh130 million to support miraa farmers as we explore new markets for them,” the CS said.

He said in April, President Ruto was in Igembe North and one of his commitments was that he would help in the expansion of the miraa markets.

The visit by the President came a few months after Parliament passed the Miraa Regulations 2023, aimed at guiding the production, processing and marketing of the produce.

Meanwhile, the Council of Governors and CS Linturi agreed to have Crops (Miraa) Regulations 2023, to publish amendments to the proposed regulation incorporating proposals made by the council within nine months of the approval of the regulation by Parliament.

The two parties also agreed to the development of administrative instruments to provide for the role of county governments in the development, promotion and regulation of the miraa sector.

The CoG had raised several issues related to the new regulation including registration and licensing of miraa value chain actors, appointment of county crop inspectors and sharing of revenue arising from miraa levy.

“We have agreed to constitute a technical committee to fast-track implementation of these resolutions within nine months of execution of this resolution,” Bungoma Governor Ken Lusaka said.

Lusaka is the chairman of the CoG's Agriculture subcommitee.