• The chief Imam for Jamia Mosque in Mokowe, Mohamed Bwanamkuu, said many men have been turned into walking zombies due to their addiction to muguka and miraa.
• As such, they can barely stay home with their families as they prefer being at the jaba bases.
Image: CHETI PRAXIDES
Religious leaders in Lamu have rebuked muguka and miraa consumers for abandoning and mistreating their wives.
They faulted ‘jaba bases’ for breakages of marriages, adding that many other couples are merely tolerating each other in their unions.
The chief Imam for Jamia Mosque in Mokowe, Mohamed Bwanamkuu, said many men have been turned into walking zombies due to their addiction to muguka and miraa.
As such, they can barely stay home with their families as they prefer being at the jaba bases.
Many of these men are said to leave their homes once dusk sets in and head to these bases to join like-minded individuals in their muguka- and miraa-chewing escapades. They only return home in the dead of night, when their wives are asleep.
“A woman will have prepared herself and made herself beautiful waiting for her husband at night, and the men will be nowhere to be found. They are busy chewing away in those bases. We are rebuking these lifestyles,” Bwanamkuu said.
He said the two leaves have no benefit whatsoever to men’s health as they actually carry more negative effects.
The cleric said many young men in Lamu and other coastal areas have lost their ‘manhood’ and masculinity due to the long-term consumption of muguka and miraa.
“Men can’t even find time to attend to their women in the bedroom,“ Bwanamkuu said.
“They would rather be out there chewing. They come back in the wee hours of the night and will be snoring in no time. Women are suffering.“
He called on the Lamu and coastal community to join hands to ensure muguka and miraa are no longer sold in the region.
He stressed on the need for a clear stand and concerted efforts from all players to save the current and future generations from being enslaved by the vices, which have greatly affected the Coast.
“We cannot continue raising this generation of men who can’t do manly duties,” he said.
“The complaints from women whose husbands are on muguka and miraa are embarrassingly overwhelming. We don’t want muguka and miraa in Lamu.”
Council of Imams and Preachers of Kenya Lamu chairperson Abubakar Shekuwe termed muguka consumption a disaster that must be eliminated by all means.
He said as clerics, they speak on behalf of the locals, leaders and elders, and urged the county government to ban muguka and miraa sales in Lamu.
He said the two have greatly destroyed the education, health and economy of the region, not to mention mentally affecting the users.
“Muguka and miraa have no benefit whatsoever to anyone, and that’s why we want them gone from Lamu as soon as possible,” Shekuwe said.
“We hope the county government will listen and save Lamu.”
Lamu Youth representative Abdul Karim said because of muguka and miraa, many parents have neglected their responsibilities to their families as most time is spent wasting the family resources on the leaves.
“Crime has soared since the users will steal and rob just to be able to buy their daily dose,” Karim said.
“Parents have no money for fees and food but have money for muguka and miraa. We want them gone.”
Image: CHETI PRAXIDES
Image: CHETI PRAXIDES