Meru County to petition Britain over Miraa ban

Sunday, July 14, 2013

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Meru County Government will this week present a petition to the British High Commissioner in Nairobi over an impending ban of Miraa in the United Kingdom.

According to Governor Peter Munya, the petition is among options the Miraa growers in the County are pursuing.

Britain and Netherlands banned the crop after categorizing it as a drug.

Meru County, through its governor Peter Munya says it will be presenting a petition this Wednesday to the British High Commissioner who will in turn hand it over to his government in London.

He said he will lead a high powered delegation to Nairobi comprising of the Meru County Assembly Representatives and other top officials from the area.

Munya however claimed the ban of the produce in the Netherlands earlier, was a form of discrimination against Kenya, by virtue of being a small third world country.

Accompanied by all the County Assembly Representatives, Munya also criticized the government for remaining mum on the matter which he said affects the lives of hundreds on Miraa farmers.

The governor said among other options would be to look for markets elsewhere in the world and the African continent as well.

Speaking in Maua town, Munya said they were also working towards having the producers and the consumers of the produce in the United Kingdom sue the British government for discrimination.

Meanwhile, anxiety is at its peak in the larger Miraa producing areas of Igembe, Mutuati,lare , Kangeta, Muringene and Kaelo as farmers await the final decision on the impending ban on Miraa trade in the United Kingdom.

Miraa dealers from the County also held an emergency closed door meeting at Kangeta market to discuss the way forward with an intention of joining their colleagues in the UK in suing the government to lift the ban.

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