Somalia-Kenya frosty ties hurt miraa trade

A diplomatic dispute between Kenya and Somalia is threatening to paralyse the khat (miraa) business in Kenya.

Chewing miraa is a social tradition in many parts of the Middle East and eastern Africa.

It’s a mild stimulant said to cause mild euphoria and increases alertness, but doctors warn it can also cause depression and difficulty sleeping.

Since March, Kenya’s miraa farmers and traders have made record losses after the Somali government banned imports from Kenya.

Initially the Somali government indicated that the ban was a measure to prevent the spread of Covid-19, but it has since set other conditions which Kenya must meet before reopening the market, while resuming miraa trading with Ethiopia.

The BBC’s Ferdinand Omondi, who visited Meru – the heartland of khat farming in Kenya, says the Kenyan families which depend on the khat trade are suffering the most.