Muguka Ban: Mombasa, Kwale, Kilifi, and Taita Taveta counties, part of the Jumuiya ya Kaunti za Pwani (JKP) economic bloc, have announced their decision to boycott a forum convened by Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi to discuss the counties’ ban on Muguka.
In a joint statement on Monday, the governors expressed doubts about CS Linturi’s neutrality due to his previous comments supporting Muguka.
The statement referenced Linturi’s public declarations against the ban imposed by Mombasa, Kilifi, and Taita Taveta counties (Gazette Notice 6482 of Executive Order NO.1 of 2024). The governors argued that the Muguka debate requires national-level discussions involving multiple stakeholders, emphasizing that the issue affects public health, security, and economics.
The governors are urging the Head of State to oversee further consultations, involving the National Authority for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA), the Ministry of Health, security agencies, and civil society. They stress that the ban on Muguka is driven by the negative impacts on health and security, noting that the active ingredients, Cathine and Cathinone, are banned in several countries worldwide due to their harmful effects.
The ban is also supported by findings from local rehabilitation centers, which reported that 550 patients with mental health issues were abusing Muguka between 2021 and 2024. The governors highlighted the drug’s accessibility to minors due to its short harvest time and low cost compared to Miraa.
In response to county-level bans, CS Linturi previously stated that such prohibitions are invalid under the Crops Act 2013 and the Miraa Regulations 2023, reinforcing the legal status of Muguka as a scheduled crop
