The Mombasa County administration under Governor Abdulswammad Nassir’s leadership has announced a crackdown on shops selling miraa and muguka near schools, mosques, and churches.
“It will not be permitted for anyone to sell miraa or muguka around the schools. If you want to do business, sell them to adults and do it away from schools. If a child of age 16 or 17 can get hold of something that costs KSh20 and it has negative effects on them, then I must personally intervene,” the governor stated.
Protecting Children from Stimulants
Governor Nassir continued, “We want to protect our students from this drug habit. If you must sell muguka, do it in appropriate locations. We should not expose our children to these stimulants. We want them to participate in education and digital literacy programs.” He added that anyone found selling these stimulants to students will be arrested to face legal charges.
This initiative stems from a joint effort by Governor Nassir and Embu County Governor Cecily Mbaire, who formed a committee to address concerns about student addiction to the stimulant.
“We also understand the moral responsibility to safeguard our children from consuming this product, as it is a stimulant similar to alcohol. We need to make sure only adults who can make rational and unbiased decisions are consuming it,” Mbaire said.
New Regulations for Transportation and Public Service Workers
The new regulations, introduced on May 13th, require transporters of the crop to have licenses and prohibit them from carrying passengers while conducting business.
The governor further addressed public transport workers, stating, “If you’re a matatu, tuk-tuk, or boda boda driver who starts chewing miraa at 7 am, you’re creating a problem.” He emphasized, “We’re not doing this out of malice, but because we care about you. If you’re working, focus on your job and the safety of your passengers. Miraa should be consumed during leisure time.”
Cess Charge Discussions
The new regulations maintain the county’s cess charge at KSh80,000 per lorry. Senator Kathuri Murungi of Meru, along with other leaders, have welcomed the regulations and expressed support for lowering the cess charge to KSh60,000.