Miraa - Kenyans' stimulant of choice

      Walking around Mombasa Island, I have witnessed many going about their day with a conspicuous little stalk poking out of their mouths. Drivers of Matatus (mini buses), market sellers, construction workers, and even female security guards chew this 'thing'. I asked my fellow Eco Ethics Intern, Phoebe, what it was exactly that they were so busy chewing and she was surprised, "You've never seen it before?" I replied that I had not. She proceeded to answer that it was Khat or Miraa (as Kenyans call it) and said that it is very popular, particularly within the Muslim community in Mombasa as they use it as substitute for alcohol, the consumption of which is forbidden by Islam.
       This was not the first time that I heard of Khat. I took a course - Molecular & Cell Biology C62: Drugs and the Brain - fall semester of my freshman year in college. Khat is a plant that is indigenous to the horn of Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, and grows on outcrops and in woodlands. Khat is illegal in most countries but the production, sale and consumption of Miraa are legal in Kenya even though 2 of its active components, Cathinone and Cathine, are class C substances and are similar to chemicals found in stronger stimulants such as Ephedrine and Amphetamine. Khat is also legal in Ethiopia, Djibouti, Somalia and Yemen, with an estimated 10 million people globally using Khat on a daily basis.

Meru County 

       In Kenya, the social custom of chewing Miraa dates back thousands of years, and it is believed that Miraa consumption predates that of coffee. Therefore, it is both an ancestral crop as well as an economic mainstay for the locals and traders. My host mum, Mama Pauline, informed me that Khat is produced in Meru county and is then transported around the country. It is picked very early in the morning from 3-5AM. Next, it is loaded onto trucks and driven to Jomo Kenyatta International Airport in Nairobi, ready to be flown all over the country. This is because Miraa has to reach the market the very same day that it is picked, otherwise it goes bad as the leaves lose water vapor. This is why Miraa trucks drive have been known to drive at speeds reaching 180km/h or equivalently, 112mph in order to get the produce as quickly as possible to the markets. 

      In markets such as Kongowea, situated just North of Mombasa, you can see Itundu - Miraa twigs tied into bundles - that are wrapped in banana leaves or newspapers, which serve as preservation packaging. These bundles are priced and sold according to their quality. A small handful can set you back anywhere between 500ksh to 2000ksh, or equivalently, $5.72 to $22.90, making Miraa a very expensive good, especially for farmers and laborers who utilize it to reduce physical fatigue. Exactly why I'm not sure, but I was told by both Mama Pauline and Phoebe that Miraa needs to be chewed with gum, soda and fried peanuts. 

      Its consumption induces mild euphoria and excitement similar to that conferred by strong coffee. Individuals under the influence of the plant are said to become very talkative. I was told by another fellow intern, Kenan, that long term effects include impotence in men. However, some quick research online revealed that Miraa consumption does not lead to barrenness, but it constricts the vessels supplying blood to the reproductive tract causing the inability to attain and sustain an erection, giving the appearance of impotence. In women, the dehydrating effect of Miraa dries the lining of the reproductive tract leading to pain during sexual intercourse and blistering. 

      Nevertheless, despite the aforementioned effects of Khat consumption, it is proven that that Khat is safer than both alcohol consumption and tobacco consumption. It then came as a surprise to many when UK Home Secretary, Theresa May, announced back in July 3rd, 2013 that as of June 24th of this year, Khat will reclassified as illegal. The impact of this decision is expected to hit Kenya's economy and in particular, Meruvian farmers. During my visit to Kongowea this past Saturday, I struck a conversation with a Miraa trader who told me that he hails originally from Meru county but comes down to 'Coast province' to do business. He also revealed that, along with his family back home, he is expecting losses of up to 1.4 million Kenya shillings or $16,030 per month from the UK ban. 

Miraa sold in Kongowea 

       An op-ed published in the Guardian back in March of this year, posits that 'there's simply no case for banning khat', and that 'the government [will] spend 150m pounds on a ban that would create far more severe problems'. This seemingly pointless decision has roused the suspicions of many. A second trader in Kongowea, and Mama Pauline, both believe that the decision has a hidden political agenda behind the exterior appearance of concern for the British ethnic Somalis that are the predominant consumers khat in the UK. The British government vehemently denies it. I asked Mama Pauline what the supposed 'political agenda' would be. She explained that the Kenyan government, led by President Uhuru Kenyatta, have expressed interest in forming closer relationships and ties with the East - aka China - and many Kenyans feel that this ban is mere retaliation from 'the West'. Regardless of whether theses are unfounded speculations or the hidden truth, the bleak situation remains that Miraa farmers will be expecting aggregate losses of up to $2 million a day.