Kilifi Governor Mung'aro bans entry, sale and use of muguka

Kilifi Governor Gideon Mung'aro has banned the entry, transportation, distribution, sale, and use of khat - popularly known as muguka - within the county.

The directive which comes a day after his Mombasa counterpart Abdulswamad Nassir issued the same order that will also see all muguka outlets in the county closed.

"In exercise of the powers conferred in Section 30(2)(1) of the County Government Act and all other enabling laws of Kenya, I, Gideon Maitha Mung'aro, Governor of Kilifi County, hereby order and direct as that there be a total prohibition on the entry, transportation, distribution, sale, and use of muguka and its products within Kilifi County," Mung'aro said in a statement.

"All outlets, whether in the form of retail or wholesale, selling and/or distributing muguka within Kilifi County be closed immediately and/or stop the sale of muguka and its products."

Governor Mung'aro further ordered that motor vehicles transporting the product shall not be allowed entry into the county.

He directed multi-agency bodies to swing to action and enforce the order, warning that any officer who would collude with culprits would face the law.

"County departments and their agencies are directed to enforce this order without exception. In light of the above order, I therefore, with immediate effect, issue a directive to all the Kilifi County enforcement officers through the Directorate of Enforcement to ensure the order is enforced in totality," he stated.

"Any officer found colluding with culprits will face the law and all the disciplinary actions there are."

Governor Nassir on Thursday ordered the ban highlighting the pervasive consumption of the stimulant drug at the Coast, including among school-going children.

According to Nassir, muguka traders have ignored laws put in place to safeguard children from the drug's influence, with some even going as far as selling the drug to minors.

"We have tried to come up with regulations so that users and the larger community can co-exist but they have refused and for this reason, I have consulted legally and found my decree to be in order," said Nassir.

"I have signed an executive order to ban the entry of muguka into Mombasa and to ban the sale and consumption of muguka into Mombasa."

His remarks came after a continued push from women leaders who had been calling for the banning of muguka and regularisation of miraa over the drugs' detrimental effects on young people's health.