Miraa growers, traders cry foul over Sh1bn fund as report delays
A man holds a heap of miraa at Mweiga in Nyeri County. PHOTO | FILE
A cloud of uncertainty hangs over the release of the Sh1 billion allocated to cushion miraa farmers from losses after a task force missed its report deadline for the second time.
Farmers and traders, spooked by the short time remaining before the end of Jubilee’s first term, have stepped up pressure for release of the Miraa Task Force report after its extended term expired last month.
The team, which was appointed on June 17 last year, was expected to give a report by October but had its term extended to complete its work.
Nyambene Miraa Traders Association (Nyamita) spokesperson Kimathi Munjuri said they were concerned that the Agriculture ministry had not issued official word on the fate of the funds.
“We feel the members of the Miraa Task Force have not been taking their job seriously. Last year, they remained silent after their term expired until we moved to court to establish its status. We expected the report to be released by the first week of January,” he said.
Way forward
The lobby group had in November moved to court accusing the task force of failing to achieve its intended purpose by holding sittings long after the expiry of its first term. The lobby, however, withdrew the suit after the government produced a gazette notice on extension of the task force’s term.
Mr Munjuri said traders were eager to know the recommendations to restore the lost markets for miraa and open up new ones.
“The task force members should know that they were appointed and Sh1 billion set aside to alleviate a serious crisis. We want to know the way forward on markets and research on miraa agronomy,” he said.
Muringene Market chairman Edward Baithili, who is also a miraa farmer, said they were losing confidence in the task force.
“We want to know what is going on with the task force. Our expectations were very high when it was formed but they have taken too long to deliver,” he said.
Mr Baithili said miraa prices were slightly improving after a slump during the last rainy season.
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