- The lawmakers want the CS to support the classification of of muguka as a narcotic through the introduction of an amendment Bill in Parliament.
- The MPs' refusal to attend the meeting comes just a day after six Coast governors declined to honour the invite.
Image: FILE
Lawmakers from the Coast region have declined an invite for a consultative meeting with Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi to discuss the muguka ban.
In a statement on May 31, Linturi invited lawmakers from the Coast region for the meeting scheduled for June 6, 2024, at Maanzoni Lodge.
The meeting follows a directive by President William Ruto for Linturi to convene a meeting with stakeholders to address concerns raised on the sale and use of the addictive stimulant.
The lawmakers under the Coast Parliamentary Group and MPs for Taita Taveta, Mombasa and Kilifi thanked the CS for the invitation.
They, however, declined to attend the meeting saying they view muguka as an illicit drug.
"Humbly and respectfully we decline the invitation on the basis that we view muguka as an illicit drug as provided in The Narcotics, Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (Control) Act No. 4 of 1994 and not as a cash crop under the Crops Act," they said in a joint statement.
The MPs said that they act with firm and clear instructions from their constituents.
"We are unable to sit at the same table and negotiate with people who are hell-bent on pushing the continuous consumption of a substance that is destroying people at the Coast of Kenya under the guise of an Agricultural crop," they said.
The leaders called on the CS to remove Miraa and Muguka as scheduled crops from the Crops Act.
They also want his support in assigning it rightly as a narcotic through the introduction of an amendment Bill in the Houses of Parliament.
Linturi had inivted MPs Owen Baya of Kilifi North, Richard Chonga (Kilifi South), Paul Katana (Kaloleni), Anthony Mupe (Rabai), Kenneth Charo (Ganze) Laura Amina (Malindi and Women Representative of Kilifi County Getrude Mwanyanje to the Maanzoni meeting.
He pointed out to the legislators that Miraa is a scheduled crop in Kenya under the Crops Act, No. 16 of 2013, and is further regulated by the Crops (Miraa) Regulations, 2023.
Linturi added that muguka, a variant of Miraa, is a fresh produce used as a stimulant and produced mainly in Embu, Kirinyaga and Tharaka Nithi among other counties.
"In this regard, His Excellency the President directed my Ministry to convene stakeholder engagements as mandated, to address the concerns raised by the various entities involving the respective counties, local leadership, farmers and dealers and come up with a way forward," Linturi said.
"The purpose of this letter is to invite you for a consultative meeting to be held on June 6, 2024, at Maanzoni Lodge, Machakos starting at 9am. You can be accompanied by the relevant County Executive Committee Member/Technical Officer," Linturi said.
The CS asked the MPs to send their confirmations to the coordinating agency at the Director General, Agriculture and Food Authority.
The MPs' refusal to attend the meeting comes just a day after six Coast governors declined to honour the invite.