Muslim clerics call for muguka ban

Muslim clerics from Garissa have called on governors from Northeastern counties to emulate their coastal counterparts and ban muguka in the region.

This comes after governors in Mombasa, Kilifi and Taita Taveta banned the entry, transportation, distribution, sale and use of muguka.

Garissa Supkem religious leaders led by chairman Abdullahi Salat told journalists that the miraa and muguka business has been allowed to thrive for far too long, ruining the lives of thousands of users. 

Salat said it was clear that the effects of muguka far outweigh its  advantages. The fact that many countries have banned its use further cements the case against the plant.

“Our region is one of the most affected when it comes to the abuse of this plant [muguka]. Its effects on those who are using is very much visible, some even developing mental health issues. Many have ended up using a lot of resources on the same,” he said.

Muguka has contributed to many social ills bedevilling the society, leading to high divorce rate, children dropping out of schools and poor performance of students.

The chairman said using the stimulant had a direct link to crime and other vices, reiterating the need to ban it so as to "save the society and generations".

“And it is for this reason that we are here to speak in one voice and call on governors from all the pastoralists counties including Garissa, Wajir, Mandera, Isiolo, Marsabit and Tana River with the help of their County Assemblies to follow suit. It's the best thing to do if they really care for the wellbeing of our people and society at large.”

Weighing in on the same, Sheikh Hussein Mahat said the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse Authority's classification of both products as drugs was enough reason to have them banned completely.

“Nacada has already told us that the biggest problem in this region is miraa and muguka and that the consumers are also abusing prescribed drugs like Diazepam which are very dangerous,” Mahat said.

He took issue with Parliament's move a few years ago to list miraa as a cash crop, saying it was not only selfish but a human rights violation.

The government had not put the same energy it was using to combat illicit brew to also fight miraa and muguka, Mahat added, yet a big population in the region has been affected.

“We would like to ask President William Ruto  to personally intervene in this matter and take this as their own fight. Talk to the MPs to revisit the law that they fictitiously passed a few years ago classifying miraa as a cash crop.” 

Another cleric, Ismail Isack, also repeated the call for other leaders in the region to follow suit, describing the step to ban miraa and muguka as very good, important and timely.

“I personally want to commend the governor of Mombasa for being bold enough and deciding to lead the way. Many leaders were afraid. Now what happened is that we have continued to lose generations through these drugs,” the Sheikh said.

But President William Ruto has since declared such bans null and void. Additionally, traders in Embu - where muguka is largely grown - held protests over the ban. Two petitioners have moved to court to challenge it.

While issuing the executive order at the Port Reitz hospital, Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir said the decision was made after extensive public consultations and input from Nacada.