Relief for muguka farmers as MP Owen Baya withdraws controversial bill

Muguka farmers can finally breathe a sigh of relief after Kilifi North MP Owen Baya agreed to withdraw a controversial legislative proposal that sought to differentiate muguka from miraa and delist muguka from Kenya’s scheduled crops under the Crops Act.

Deputy President Kithure Kindiki took to X (formerly Twitter) to announce the development, confirming that a meeting had taken place at Karen, Nairobi, with the MP.

“Following a request from elected leaders in Embu County, I met Hon. Owen Baya, sponsor of the private member’s bill that sought to delete Catha edulis (muguka) from the Schedule to the Crops Act. The Hon. Baya has graciously accepted to drop his legislative proposal,” Kindiki posted.

The proposed bill aimed to amend the Crops Act by clearly distinguishing between miraa and muguka, ultimately stripping muguka of government recognition and support as a scheduled crop.

News of the bill sparked intense reactions on X. Some users praised the move to drop the bill, while others expressed concern over the normalization of what they described as a harmful substance.

@DocaYounous wrote, “This is so despicable. How can one put the lives of many at risk just because some individuals cannot adopt new ways to survive? A drug is a drug.”

But not everyone agreed. @MEDIA_BY_LEVI commented, “Thank you, DP Kindiki, for listening to the voices from Embu and protecting the interests of muguka farmers. This crop sustains thousands of livelihoods; any legislation affecting it must involve real consultation with the people on the ground.”

Under the current Crops Act, enacted in 2013, scheduled crops, including muguka, sugarcane, tea, coffee, Irish potatoes, bananas, maize, rice, sorghum, wheat, and khat, are regulated to enhance productivity, promote trade, and maintain quality standards.

If Muguka were delisted, it would lose this critical government backing, potentially destabilizing the livelihoods of thousands who rely on it.

More than 100,000 farmers in Embu, Meru, Tharaka-Nithi, and Kirinyaga depend on muguka and miraa as key cash crops. The muguka industry alone is estimated to generate over KSh 22 million annually.

The proposal came amid rising tensions between coastal and eastern counties over the sale and use of muguka. Counties like Mombasa and Kilifi have pushed to ban the stimulant altogether, citing concerns over its impact on public health and social wellbeing.