The Committee on Delegated Legislation Chaired by Hon. Samuel Chepkonga met with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development over the crops (Miraa) Regulations, 2022.
The Chepkonga-led committee had requested the Ministry to drop the charges on Miraa exports of Ksh. 4000 on every Miraa vehicle at the screening gate of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) and the 4.5 USD per Kg on Miraa exported to Somalia and explain how the decision was arrived at.
While responding to the issue, Director Miraa, Pyrethrum, and other Crop Felix Mutwiri told the committee that the Ksh.4000 are charges attributed to the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) while the 4.5 USD is charged by various airlines and both charges are not provided under the regulations.
With regards to Miraa being a drug or not, the Principal Secretary State Department of Agriculture and Livestock Development Kello Harsama told the committee that the issue had been resolved by the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act by not listing it as a drug.
Harsama told the committee that Miraa being one of the most important cash crops in the Ministry of Agriculture did public participation with the stakeholders and the businessmen who trade in the crop as well as the customers for them to arrive at the necessary amendments to the regulations.
Kathiani MP, Hon. Robert Mbui however avered that the vendors as much as they should not be regulated, the government should ensure that there is no potential abuse by the vendors by putting designated points around learning institutions.
The Committee further noted that despite the markets being lost due to a lack of regulations, the current regulations have provided various provisions that seek to streamline the industry.
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