President Ruto to meet Coastal Governors next week on Muguka trade » Capital News

NAIROBI, Kenya, May 28 – President William Ruto has called  a meeting of political leaders in counties affected by the Muguka ban next week to address concerns and challenges facing the sector.

President Ruto held discussions with governor Abdullswamad Nassir (Mombasa), Gideon Mung’aro  (Kilifi) and Andrew Mwandime (Taita-Taveta) county  on their concerns  after they banned sale and distribution of muguka in their counties.

The Meeting will bring together stakeholders in the sector ,governors of affected counties as well as officials from the Ministry of Agriculture.

“I have engaged the governors of Mombasa, Kilifi and Taita-Taveta counties on their concerns and challenges in the sale of muguka. We have agreed to participate in a meeting of all stakeholders to be convened by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock this week as was agreed with the leadership of Embu County on Monday,” said Ruto.

Agriculture and Livestock Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has maintained that the ban on Muguka which is a variety of Miraa by both Mombasa and Kilifi counties is “null and void” amid raging debate on the implication of the ban.

According to CS Linturi inturi 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).

“I joined President William Ruto at State House for a consultative meeting with leaders from Embu County led by Governor Cecily Mbarire over the Muguka ban by selected counties. I informed the meeting that the purported ban is null and void,” Linturi said Monday.

The Crops Act 2013 lists Miraa under crops with no breeding program.

Mombasa Governor Abdullswamad Nassir and his Kilifi counterpart Gideon Mung’aro have given executive orders barring any entry, use, and sale of muguka in their counties citing its detrimental health effects on users in the coastal region.

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