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{
    "id": 371669,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/371669/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 173,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Ndiritu",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1539,
        "legal_name": "Samuel Mathenge Ndiritu",
        "slug": "samuel-mathenge-ndiritu"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Deputy Speaker, I rise to support the Motion as amended. First, the issue of miraa on the economy and the cultural values have been well enumerated. I would like to talk about one or two items that I would wish the Committee would look into thoroughly. When we talk of the economy, we are talking about over Kshs1 billion from a very small area. So, this is very high income. For us to just wake up one day and ban miraa, this is a very drastic decision to take. We know the effects that tobacco has on people. We know all the bad things like cancer and other destructive effects of tobacco, but we have never thought of uprooting tobacco and telling the Kuria people or other places where it is grown that they must stop growing it. The Committee should look into the possibility of controlling the use of miraa . In tobacco, we write a very big warning on the packets that its consumption is harmful to one’s health. That is the awareness that needs to be created and the Committee should come up with the methods to do this with the advice of NACADA. Declaring miraa a drug does not mean declaring it illegal. When we look at the global impact, thanks to the Somalis and their diaspora nature, they have taken the market of Khat to the world. Talking about Somali, it has been the greatest exit point for miraa and the market outlet. We know the connection that has been put between Somali and Al Qaeda . The Committee should look into the possibility of the West wanting to fight Al Qaeda through the miraa business. That would have a very devastating effect. The Meru County is looking at the miraa trade as one of the methods of raising revenue. They should look at the marketers of miraa, who benefit more than the growers. The Committee should also advise the county on how to make more money through going back to the growers rather than the marketers. This is a big phenomenon in all the farming areas in the country."
}