Munya blasts Tanga Tanga for indulging in miraa cash
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya yesterday renewed his political rivalry with Deputy President William Ruto by accusing members of Tanga Tanga from Meru of inciting miraa farmers against the government.
Munya while addressing a gathering at Maili Tatu in Igembe Central where he issued Sh122 million to farmers, said Ruto’s allies had taken advantage of the ban on importation of miraa to neighbouring Somalia.
The Minister said some Meru leaders were politicising the commodity’s market closure instead of giving the government a chance to engage in dialogue with the Somali Federal Government.
He blamed the Tanga Tanga group for misleading farmers that the president does not support efforts to revive trade in the crop.
“I am warning you not to give room to leaders who belong to the other camp because their interest is to use miraa farmers’ plight as a campaign tool to taint the image of President Uhuru Kenyatta.
They are fronting him as the problem in blocking the re-opening of the khat market when he is tirelessly negotiating with Somali government to lift the ban,” said Munya.
Assured farmers
He added: ““If you are not careful this team will kill the miraa sector because they are spreading lies that our president does not care about the commodity.
I wonder who else then is able to resolve this problem? Why can’t they give him a chance to prove this because all these (being said about Miraa) are just 2022 politics and a scheme to mud the government and we know.”
Accompanied by East Africa Legislative Assembly (EALA) MP Mpuru Aburi, the CS called for patience and assured farmers and traders that the market that consumes about 50 tonnes a day would resume soon.
Further, the former governor of Meru Governor and Mpuru accused the Garissa Township MP Aden Duale of advancing the Tanga Tanga 2022 political interest by associating the crop with social ills.
On Tuesday while speaking in Parliament, Duale blamed miraa on causing social, economic and family problems in the country.
“We know who Duale is speaking for by fighting the government but we are telling him to respect the Meru community and the president.
