The clergy in Mombasa County is calling on the government to ban the sale and consumption of Miraa and Muguka in the country.
Speaking during an interfaith meeting, MEWA Health and Harm Reduction Hussein Taib said Muguka is the main cause of juvenile gangs and a way of protecting children from the effects of drug abuse.
He said that the stimulant is now sold at markets and near schools, making it easy for children to access it.
Further, he said that the government should not only censor its sale to specific areas but also ban and consider it illegal just like bhang and heroine.
Meanwhile, he noted that, as per their assessment, school-going children aged 10 to 17 are now using muguka, which is sold for around Kes 50 at even marketplaces like the Kongowea market.
Did you read this?
“We urge the government to ban the sale of muguka near schools and market places. Our children can easily access it when sent to the market to buy foodstuff,” he said.
Moreover, he said the law clearly outlines the classification of miraa and muguka as drugs and substances.
He warned that muguka can cause madness if consumed uncontrollably, with the highest numbers of patients treated at rehabilitation centers being victims of the substance.
On his part, Bishop Geofrey Nyongesa from Nyali said the drug had affected many educated young people with some having been reported to have psychiatric problems.
Nyongesa said some have refused to eat well, claiming that consuming miraa and muguka can make one lose appetite.
However, he asked the government to investigate the matter and asked the businesspeople selling muguka and miraa to look for another business that is not harmful to society.
Mombasa County Governor Abdulswamad Nassir directed the Department of Education to collaborate and identify all public and private schools to ensure that no one is allowed to sell miraa or muguka near these institutions.
Nassir issued a stern warning to all those involved in selling drugs near school premises, emphasizing that such activities would no longer be tolerated.
“We will not negotiate on the wellbeing of our children, those selling muguka and other stimulants to school-going-children will meet the full force of the law. There will be an inspection team going around checking on those who will defy,” he said at a past event in Mombasa.
