By Simon Kobia
Isiolo Governor Mohamed Kuti has advised the residents of his county who consume Miraa and Muguka to maintain high hygiene standards during this dangerous period of Coronavirus that has threatened the human race.
Addressing the residents in Isiolo town recently governor Kuti who is a medical doctor observed that the process of handling Miraa raises a lot of hygiene questions and time has come for the consumers to be cautious about the safety of the commodity before they perish.
The governor recommended the boiling of the stimulant or washing it with hot water before consuming as a way of killing any dangerous pathogens that are likely to be in the commodity.
‘ lets us look at the situation that we are in, the Coronavirus is challenging countries in the first world like the United States and Italy, we cannot afford to be careless especially on the issue of selling and consuming Miraa. My recommendation to the Miraa consumers is please wash it with hot water before chewing it as a measure to safeguard your health and that of the others’ Governor Kuti said.
Speaking to, The Eastern Newspaper, a section of Miraa consumers in the county observed that boiling the commodity would kill the natural taste and kill the stimulating effect. They, however, agreed that that commodity could be an agent for the spread of the deadly COVID 19 if good measures are not taken to ensure the safety of the traders and consumers.
At the time of this story, the county governments of Samburu, Laikipia, and Embu have temporarily stopped the trade of Muguka and Miraa as a measure to stop the spread of COVID 19
On their part Miraa and Muguka farmers in Meru and Embu Counties respectively opposed any move to ban the sale of the commodity, citing the economic importance of the trade in the region. They called for measures of ensuring that the sector is protected by a way of following strict hygiene procedures in the entire chain.
