President William Ruto was on a familiar campaign trail last month in Maua, Meru County, when the crowd shifted the agenda.
It was April 2, and while the President came with prepared remarks, it was clear the people had a different priority: miraa.
The stimulant crop, long synonymous with Meru’s economy and identity, dominated the rally.
Residents wanted Ruto to dismantle what they described as entrenched cartels reaping disproportionate profits while the farmers, the lifeblood of the industry, were left struggling.
“Miraa cartels have three options. They will either shut down their enterprise, go to jail, or embark on ‘that journey’. Today’s Maua declaration states that the cartels must leave this country for the sector to thrive,” said Ruto in an attempt to calm the crowd.
“The cartels want to operate as farmers, brokers, buyers and auction attendants. We have decided that people will only have a single license,” he added.
It wasn’t the first time Ruto made such promises.
In September 2022, just three days before his swearing-in, he addressed a thanksgiving event at Maua Stadium and made similar assurances.
“Don’t feel threatened by the cartels and brokers. You’ve given me the mandate to deal with them,” then-president-elect Ruto said. “Immediately I put the Bible down, I will go for them. If anyone here is related to, or is friends with, a cartel, please warn them in advance.”
But more than two years later, farmers say little has changed. The cartels, they claim, have only grown bolder, even extending their grip to export points, charging a fee before miraa cargo flights leave for Somalia.
According to Meru Senator Kathuri Murungi, some unnamed individuals stationed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) have been charging up to Sh580 per kilogram of miraa, money that never reaches farmers.
“Some of those people collect up to Sh26 million every month while the farmer gets nothing. I talked to the CS for trade who told me he is unable to conduct further investigations and directed us to the highest office in the land, the office of the president,” said Murungi.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki last month also volunteered to take on the cartels.
“When I was the Cabinet Secretary for Interior, terrorists knew there was a CS called Kindiki. I want to ask Ruto to give me the work to deal with miraa cartels,” said Kindiki. A bunch of miraa for sale at Kongowea Market in Mombasa County. [Kelvin Karani, Standard]
Market monopoly
Miraa farmers have also been agitating for better prices, which were met with opposition from the market across the border.
The standoff led Kenyan farmers to suspend exports to Somalia in February this year. Shipments resumed only after the government doubled the rates.
Under new pricing published by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, Grade 1 miraa now sells for Sh1,300 per kilogram, up from Sh700. Grade 2 increased from Sh350 to Sh700, while Alele, another variety, rose from Sh500 to Sh1,000.
In response to market concerns, President Ruto appointed former Igembe Central MP Kubai Iringo, a Meru native, as Kenya’s ambassador to Somalia, with the aim of brokering more favorable terms for local farmers.
But the move did not inspire confidence.
“It’s true he posted an ambassador from Meru to Somalia, but the appointee is not handling the trade well. Our issue is at the level of presidents not ambassadors,” said Jacob Mantili, a Miraa farmer.
Over the years, Somalia has used miraa trade as leverage against Kenya in diplomatic spats.
In 2016, Somalia banned flights ferrying Kenyan miraa to protest then Agriculture CS Peter Munya’s visit to the breakaway region of Somaliland, making remarks perceived as sympathetic to its independence.
“We need an open market. We’ll pay the fees at the airport as long as our crop gets to Somalia either by sea, road, or air. We must diversify our markets to escape this monopoly which is a problem,” said Geoffrey Karuiru, another Miraa farmer.
While 80 percent of Kenya’s miraa is consumed domestically, nearly all the remaining 20 percent goes to Somalia, making it a key export market.
Currently, Somalia allows up to 50 tonnes of miraa imports from Kenya daily, a quota that shrinks whenever bilateral tensions arise between the two countries.
According to the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), Kenya produces about 32,000 metric tonnes of miraa annually, generating an estimated Sh13 billion.
The government now plans to officially designate miraa as a cash crop, joining tea, coffee, and sugarcane- a move that could unlock policy protections and further market opportunities.
Meru County remains the epicenter of miraa farming, with five of its nine constituencies, Igembe North, Igembe South, Igembe Central, Tigania East, and Tigania West, dedicated to large-scale cultivation. The region’s hilly terrain, fertile soils, and favorable climate make it ideal for the crop.
Yet, without policy support, transparent trade practices, and new export destinations, farmers say they remain at the mercy of brokers and politics.
President William Ruto was on a familiar campaign trail last month in Maua, Meru County, when the crowd shifted the agenda.
It was April 2, and while the President came with prepared remarks, it was clear the people had a different priority: miraa.
The stimulant crop, long synonymous with Meru’s economy and identity, dominated the rally.
Residents wanted Ruto to dismantle what they described as entrenched cartels reaping disproportionate profits while the farmers, the lifeblood of the industry, were left struggling.
“Miraa cartels have three options. They will either shut down their enterprise, go to jail, or embark on ‘that journey’. Today’s Maua declaration states that the cartels must leave this country for the sector to thrive,” said Ruto in an attempt to calm the crowd.
“The cartels want to operate as farmers, brokers, buyers and auction attendants. We have decided that people will only have a single license,” he added.
It wasn’t the first time Ruto made such promises.
In September 2022, just three days before his swearing-in, he addressed a thanksgiving event at Maua Stadium and made similar assurances.
“Don’t feel threatened by the cartels and brokers. You’ve given me the mandate to deal with them,” then-president-elect Ruto said. “Immediately I put the Bible down, I will go for them. If anyone here is related to, or is friends with, a cartel, please warn them in advance.”
But more than two years later, farmers say little has changed. The cartels, they claim, have only grown bolder, even extending their grip to export points, charging a fee before miraa cargo flights leave for Somalia.
According to Meru Senator Kathuri Murungi, some unnamed individuals stationed at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) have been charging up to Sh580 per kilogram of miraa, money that never reaches farmers.
“Some of those people collect up to Sh26 million every month while the farmer gets nothing. I talked to the CS for trade who told me he is unable to conduct further investigations and directed us to the highest office in the land, the office of the president,” said Murungi.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki last month also volunteered to take on the cartels. A bunch of miraa for sale at Kongowea Market in Mombasa County. [Kelvin Karani, Standard]
“When I was the Cabinet Secretary for Interior, terrorists knew there was a CS called Kindiki. I want to ask Ruto to give me the work to deal with miraa cartels,” said Kindiki.
[Kelvin Karani, Standard]
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Market monopoly
Miraa farmers have also been agitating for better prices, which were met with opposition from the market across the border.
The standoff led Kenyan farmers to suspend exports to Somalia in February this year. Shipments resumed only after the government doubled the rates.
Under new pricing published by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, Grade 1 miraa now sells for Sh1,300 per kilogram, up from Sh700. Grade 2 increased from Sh350 to Sh700, while Alele, another variety, rose from Sh500 to Sh1,000.
In response to market concerns, President Ruto appointed former Igembe Central MP Kubai Iringo, a Meru native, as Kenya’s ambassador to Somalia, with the aim of brokering more favorable terms for local farmers.
But the move did not inspire confidence.
“It’s true he posted an ambassador from Meru to Somalia, but the appointee is not handling the trade well. Our issue is at the level of presidents not ambassadors,” said Jacob Mantili, a Miraa farmer.
Over the years, Somalia has used miraa trade as leverage against Kenya in diplomatic spats.
In 2016, Somalia banned flights ferrying Kenyan miraa to protest then Agriculture CS Peter Munya’s visit to the breakaway region of Somaliland, making remarks perceived as sympathetic to its independence.
“We need an open market. We’ll pay the fees at the airport as long as our crop gets to Somalia either by sea, road, or air. We must diversify our markets to escape this monopoly which is a problem,” said Geoffrey Karuiru, another Miraa farmer.
While 80 percent of Kenya’s miraa is consumed domestically, nearly all the remaining 20 percent goes to Somalia, making it a key export market.
Currently, Somalia allows up to 50 tonnes of miraa imports from Kenya daily, a quota that shrinks whenever bilateral tensions arise between the two countries.
According to the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), Kenya produces about 32,000 metric tonnes of miraa annually, generating an estimated Sh13 billion.
The government now plans to officially designate miraa as a cash crop, joining tea, coffee, and sugarcane- a move that could unlock policy protections and further market opportunities.
Meru County remains the epicenter of miraa farming, with five of its nine constituencies, Igembe North, Igembe South, Igembe Central, Tigania East, and Tigania West, dedicated to large-scale cultivation. The region’s hilly terrain, fertile soils, and favorable climate make it ideal for the crop.
Yet, without policy support, transparent trade practices, and new export destinations, farmers say they remain at the mercy of brokers and politics.
By Denis Omondi