‘We won’t die so others live’: Nassir dismisses criticism on livelihoods hit by Mombasa muguka ban

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir has dismissed critics who say his ban on the muguka variant of khat in the coastal county is a detriment to the economic well-being of farmers in the central region.

In a Sunday night interview with Citizen TV, Nassir said the stimulant, mainly grown in the Meru and Embu counties, has thrown Mombasa youth into addiction for years and that it is time leaders addressed it.

“Someone had to do something; something had to be done,” the governor said, adding, “It is not fair or right that we have to live in a situation where our destiny is to die so that someone else can live.”

Since Nassir announced the ban in Mombasa County, the neighbouring coastal county of Kwale has also taken the war against muguka and miraa by introducing increased levies on the product.

Three north-eastern counties of Wajir, Garissa, and Mandera have also hinted at joining the coastal counties in imposing a ban.

But Governor Nassir indicated that his government won’t take a similar move, saying he is not interested in collecting levies from muguka altogether.

“In our Finance Act, it is Ksh.6,000 per bag of muguka and instead of having another charge, we preferred to keep it at Ksh.6,000 until the matter is determined. Assuming a truck carries about 300 bags… I’d be better off without that Ksh.1.8 million,” the governor said in the interview.

In Kwale, muguka traders face an increase in levies by up to more than 100 per cent with the proposed taxes in the county finance bill.

If passed, the businessmen will cough up Ksh.50,000 for single business licenses and permits, up from the current Ksh.10,000, while the cost of offloading one pickup of the stimulant, which originally cost Ksh.10,000, will now be Ksh.80,000.