Peter Ochieng
Farmers in Meru and Embu counties have received a temporary reprieve, after the High Court sitting in Embu suspended the ban imposed on muguka in some Coastal counties, among them Mombasa and Kilifi.
Last week, the two counties banned the sale, distribution and use of muguka, attracting wide spread condemnation from farmers, business people and leaders in Embu and Meru.
The case against the ban was filed by activists Peter Agoro and Michael Makarina. The court issued a restraining order to the counties from effecting the ban on muguka, until July 8, 2024.
“That the pending inter parties hearing and determination of this application a conservatory order be and is hereby granted restraining and/or stopping the respondents and or its agents from effecting, implementing and or enforcing Executive Order No. 1 issued on May 22, 2024, by the 1st Respondent and 2nd and 3rd Respondents to last until the 8th July 2024 when the application shall be heard interpreters,” the ruling reads in part.
The ruling comes a day after President William Ruto during a meeting with Embu leaders, said the ban on muguka is null and void.
According to the Head of State, muguka is a scheduled crop in accordance with the Crops Act 2013 and the Miraa Regulations 2023.
“With muguka having been recognised by national legislation, any other laws or orders that contradict national legislation is null and void,” Ruto said.
Cabinet Secretary (CS) for Agriculture Franklin Mithika Linturi expressed similar sentiments.
President Ruto said the government will pump Sh500 million in the 2024-25 Financial Year, for value addition of the scheduled crops as part of the scaling up of their aggregation, grading, pricing and packaging.
However, during an interview on Radio Maisha on Tuesday morning, Mombasa governor Abdulswamad Sharrif Nassir insisted that court action will not make him to reverse the decision.
He said instead of being supplied with muguka, residents of Mombasa are ready to recieve food products such as kales and maize.