Mombasa Governor calls for legislative ban on muguka consumption

Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir has called for legislative action to remove muguka from the list of scheduled cash crops and reclassify it as a harmful drug.

The Governor said decisive national action is urgently needed to protect families and future generations, noting that a legislative ban of the leafy stimulant would significantly curb its widespread use, which he said is devastating the young generation.

“We must wake up to the threat that substances such as muguka pose to our young people. I urge legislators to amend the law and formally eliminate muguka from the schedule of cash crops and classify it as a harmful drug,” Abdulswamad said.

Speaking in Mombasa over the weekend, the Governor noted that muguka has increasingly become a gateway substance for drug abuse, with nearly half of those affected by drug and substance abuse having a history of consumption, including school-going children.

“Our main problem is muguka. Between July, August and September, more than 50 per cent of hospital admissions related to substance abuse are linked to this product. We will not accept it. Feed us anything, but not muguka. It has no nutritional value, yet our children are suffering,” he added.

The Governor urged legislators from the Coast region to table a motion in Parliament seeking to declassify muguka as a cash crop.

He further warned that the narcotics trade remains a grave threat to society, particularly in the Coast region, and expressed support for President William Ruto’s proposal to introduce harsher penalties for drug traffickers and peddlers.

“I support President William Ruto’s call for the death penalty for drug traffickers and peddlers. The narcotics trade continues to pose a serious danger to our society, especially here at the Coast,” he said.

In his New Year’s address, President Ruto said the proposed legal changes would replace what he described as lenient punishments under the current framework.

“People selling heroin and cocaine are destroying our children. They sell to other people’s children while their own do not use these drugs,” the President said. “Previously, the law imposed fines of up to Sh1 million. We are now changing the law to make drug trafficking a capital offence, with offenders facing the ultimate penalty.”

Although muguka remains a major economic driver for farmers, mainly in Embu and Meru counties, the most severe health impacts are felt in Mombasa and other parts of the Coast region, where consumption is widespread.

Due to its low cost, muguka is widely consumed, despite serious health risks. Medical experts warn that it can cause anxiety, depression and high blood pressure, and increase the risk of heart attacks. In men, it has been linked to impotence, while in pregnant women it is associated with low birth weight. Health officials also caution that prolonged use is toxic to the liver and kidneys.