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{
    "id": 371664,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/371664/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 168,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. (Ms.) Abdalla",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 382,
        "legal_name": "Amina Ali Abdalla",
        "slug": "amina-abdalla"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Deputy Speaker I stand to support this Motion as amended. My first reaction to the expansion of this Committee was to oppose it until when hon. Rotino spoke. The contribution by hon. Rotino convinced me that the persons in this Committee would have a diverse opinion on the matter that includes those persons who support the fact that NACADA has declared miraa as a drug and believe that stand should remain so. I appreciate that miraa growing is an economic mainstay of the people of Meru. We need to look at that economic opportunity. I am happy that hon. Kajuju has taken a very objective and wide approach to this subject so that we can see how to give alternatives to the persons involved in this trade. Those alternatives need to take root before the banning. I, therefore, support the provision of a window period for the producers and exporters so that they are able to replace. On the issue raised by hon. Shebesh about why the miraa growers are not being arrested, the same situation is true for tobacco growers. NACADA and the whole world have identified tobacco as being harmful to health and that it is a drug. As we expand this Committee to look at the problems related to miraa, I request that the House gives attention to the tobacco growing areas in the country, so that we can address the issue of tobacco and tobacco products now that smoking is banned in public places and production is dwindling. So, farmers in these areas need to be given alternative crops. I hope hon. Kajuju’s report will address the issue of alternative crops, so that we can address the economic aspect of this. Hon. Deputy Speaker, I want to support and congratulate hon. Kajuju. I look forward to having a solution to this problem. Miraa and a variety of it called Muguka, is giving us a lot of headache in the eastern side of this town. We need to address it and"
}