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{
    "id": 370447,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/370447/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 437,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "July 4, 2012 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 45 Hon. Aden",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, in Netherlands consumption of cocaine is allowed. However, that country has banned miraa . How harmful is miraa then? This is nothing against the farmer. The agricultural farmlands in Meru could be used in the production of cash crops that we could export to international communities. That is the direction we need to take. We should think of how we can replace miraa with crops which are good money earners. The other correction I want to make is that miraa has no importance in Islam. It has no room in the Quran. It should not even be associated with the Quran. As a Muslim, I can say that with authority. There could be many Muslims, who consume miraa, but there is no quotation in the Quran, or anywhere in other books on Islam, that supports the consumption of miraa. Miraa is a harmful product and NACADA is doing the right thing to protect the Kenyan public from harm. Indeed, I support that particular effort by NACADA. Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I oppose this Motion because it proposes promotion of this crop. We do not need to form a committee. What for? NACADA has experts whom we can call. We just need to instruct our Departmental Committee on Health to summon NACADA officials, so that they can tell us the basis on which they have reached their decision. Sending the 23 hon. Members on a mission whose result is available with NACADA right now is a waste of time for these Members. Miraa is no doubt harmful and I oppose its cultivation. I want to tell our farmers in Meru that the world is closing in on miraa, and we must be very realistic. In my community, we say that when the sun is rising, you cannot cover it with your hand. This is because it will be seen all over. We need to start guiding our Meru farmers and ask them: “My dear brothers and sisters, how can we prepare you for the reality of tomorrow? How can we move to other sustainable agricultural income-generating activities that can replace the income that you currently get from miraa ?” My very good friend, Mr. Aburi, if you have a shamba start dividing it into two. W acha miraa yako ikae on one piece, if you love it dearly as you have explained here, and start growing other cash crops on the other piece. Thank you very much, hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I oppose this Motion."
}