President faults Muguka ban, says crop is legal in Kenya

President William Ruto’s government has faulted the Muguka ban by coastal counties including Mombasa and Kilifi.

Speaking at the Statehouse on Monday evening during a meeting with Embu leaders over the ban, Ruto said the crop is legal in Kenya.

The president further committed to allocate at least Sh500 million for Miraa value addition in the next budget.

“The future of Miraa/Mũgũka is in scaling up farming, aggregation, grading, pricing, packaging, and value addition. For this reason, the government has committed to allocate Sh500 million in the 2024/25 Financial Year for value addition of these scheduled crops,” he said.

Agriculture and Livestock Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi, who was also at the meeting, informed the meeting that Mũgũka, a variety of Miraa is a scheduled crop per the Crops Act 2013 and the Miraa Regulations 2023.

“With Mũgũka having been recognized by national legislation, any other laws or order contradicting national legislation is null and void,” he added.

The Crops Act 2013 and the Miraa Regulations 2023 were passed by the National Assembly and the Senate, with the concurrence of the Council of Governors.

To operationalise the Crops Act 2013 the regulation provides for the establishment of the Miraa/Mũgũka Pricing Committee. Consequently, the Council of Governors has already nominated three members to the committee.

To address the concerns of all parties and stakeholders the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock was directed to convene a consultative forum to address concerns raised and agree on the implementation of the Miraa/Mũgũka Regulations 2023.

All eyes are set to the leadership of the coastal counties including Mombasa and Kitui to see whether they would lift the ban and how soon.

The Embu team was led by Governor Cecily Mbarire who was accompanied by the deputy governor, the senator, the women representative, Members of National Assembly, and all Members of the County Assembly.

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