The fight against the consumption of miraa and muguka has taken a new turn as Coast leaders urge Mombasa County Governor Abdulswamad Nassir to crack down on individuals consuming these substances.
Mombasa County MP Zamzam Mohammed, leading the call, emphasized the need to amend the law to categorize miraa and muguka as drugs due to their detrimental effects on human health.
During a press conference in Parliament, Zamzam expressed concern over the increasing number of rehabilitation centers in Mombasa County, attributing this rise to the abuse of miraa and muguka. The leaders are pushing for stricter regulations to address the issue effectively.
“Muguka chewing has become a serious issue in our community, contributing to increased rates of addiction, domestic violence, and poor health,” she said.
“We need to take a decisive action as leaders and the county security team to protect our people, particularly the youth, from the devastating effects of this substance and let it be on record that Mombasa is not a rehabilitation center where the only booming business or investment one can think of is a rehab center.”
In her statement Zamzam told Governor Nassir to stand firm and end the usage of muguka in Mombasa as this is the only way youths would be saved.
She further recommended that regulations be put in place to help those affected by the substance.
She said: “We cannot simply ban Muguuka without offering alternatives and we don’t have rehabilitation programs in Mombasa since the more we have the rehab centers in Mombasa, the more we are advocating for the usage and abuse of drugs in educational campaigns and economic support for farmers who depend on khat cultivation for their livelihoods.”
She added: “I am urging my governor, and this is not a fight of supremacy but changing the lives of our people for the future generation, and we shall at all times implement regulations and controls on Miraa consumption.”
