Efforts to enforce a seven-day miraa export boycott, initiated by farmers last week, suffered a setback on Wednesday as internal conflicts and local political dynamics overshadowed the protest.
Last Saturday, irate farmers called for a temporary halt to khat trade for a week, citing grievances over an exorbitant fee of Sh80,000 per bag imposed by an unidentified cartel at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Farmers attribute this fee as one of the factors contributing to an alarming 85% drop in the price of miraa, plummeting from Sh2,000 per kilogram to a mere Sh300.
Despite the directive, several traders who defied the boycott on Monday faced repercussions as their miraa shipments were confiscated and subsequently destroyed.
However, after three days of the boycott, intense lobbying by traders, fueled by local political divisions, led to a consensus to resume business operations immediately.
The persistent demonstrations by farmers have been linked to local political rifts, with some leaders attributing the unrest to disagreements among local political figures.
Jacob Mantili, a miraa trader, highlighted that political agendas infiltrated the farmers’ meeting last Saturday, resulting in hastily made declarations.
“Some speakers at the meeting advocating for the trade boycott were driven by political motives. They issued statements calling for a complete halt to all miraa trade, whereas our focus was solely on exports, not the local market. Consequently, miraa intended for local consumption ended up being destroyed,” Mantili stated.
Kimathi Munjuri, Chairman of the Nyambene Miraa Trade Association (Nyamita), confirmed that the export business fully resumed on Wednesday following the failed boycott attempt.
Munjuri explained that negotiations between local dealers and Somali traders, who attributed the price decline to market forces, facilitated the resumption of trade.
“After our meeting with Somali traders, they raised pertinent questions about why they were not consulted prior to the boycott. They clarified that the commission is paid by exporters and does not directly affect farm gate prices,” Munjuri elaborated.
Despite the resumption of business, an agreement on the farmers’ demand for a minimum farm gate price of Sh50,000 per bag remains elusive.
“They insisted that market forces should dictate the business. At this juncture, we urge our elected leaders and the national government to intervene, as we believe that the exorbitant commission is a contributing factor to the current price crisis,” Munjuri concluded.
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