Kilifi North Member of Parliament Owen Baya has formally withdrawn a controversial legislative proposal that sought to remove muguka, a mild stimulant, from Kenya’s list of scheduled crops under the Crops Act. The decision comes after intense consultations with stakeholders, particularly from Embu County—a region that heavily depends on the crop’s cultivation for economic sustenance.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki, in a statement released on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday, confirmed that he had met with MP Baya to address mounting concerns from elected leaders in Embu over the potential socioeconomic impact of the proposed bill.
“Following a request from Embu County elected leaders, the Deputy President met Hon. Owen Baya, sponsor of the Private Member’s Bill that sought to delete Catha edulis (muguka) from the schedule to the Crops Act,” DP Kindiki announced. “Hon. Baya has graciously agreed to withdraw his legislative proposal.”
The now-shelved bill aimed to amend the Crops Act, Cap 318, to differentiate muguka from its botanical relative miraa (khat), and explicitly exclude it from the list of scheduled crops. The Crops Act, passed in 2013, is designed to provide legal recognition, regulation, and structured support for designated crops to promote sustainable agricultural development across Kenya.
Had the amendment passed, muguka would have lost its legal protection and national regulatory framework, leaving its fate to the discretion of county governments. Such a move could have led to unilateral restrictions or outright bans, especially in regions where local authorities have voiced public health and social concerns about the stimulant’s growing popularity.
This legislative attempt surfaced amid rising tensions between counties in the coastal and eastern regions of Kenya. Coastal counties like Mombasa and Kilifi have consistently pushed for stricter control or outright prohibition of muguka and miraa, arguing that the substances are harmful, particularly to youth. In contrast, counties such as Embu and Meru have staunchly defended the crops as critical to their local economies and cultural heritage.
The proposed amendment drew immediate backlash from leaders and farmers in Embu, one of the main hubs of muguka cultivation. Critics warned that the bill threatened to destabilize the livelihoods of thousands of smallholder farmers and disrupt the crop’s national value chain.
Deputy President Kindiki’s meeting with MP Baya followed a broader consultative engagement with leaders from Embu County, including Governor Cecily Mbarire and County Assembly Majority Leader Peter Muriithi. The discussions were centered on harmonizing national and county priorities in agricultural development, with particular attention to crops vital to regional economies.
“Our dialogue with county leaders aims to harmonize development priorities and support agricultural livelihoods. Embu is a key player in national production chains,” Kindiki noted in his statement.
Last year, President William Ruto reaffirmed the national government’s stance on the legal status of muguka and miraa, urging county governments to respect the Crops Act and cease efforts to unilaterally ban the crops. His comments were seen as a significant intervention to maintain legal consistency and economic stability for regions dependent on stimulant crop farming.
MP Baya’s decision to withdraw the bill marks a significant de-escalation in the national debate over muguka and may pave the way for more inclusive and evidence-based policymaking in the agricultural sector.
With the contentious proposal now off the table, attention is expected to shift toward broader reforms and discussions on responsible consumption, regulatory enforcement, and crop diversification in both coastal and eastern regions.
Written By Rodney Mbua
