Dozens of lawmakers Joined by Khat farmers and traders are forcing Kenyan government to open talks with Somalia over the banned Khat.
According to an article carried by Daily Nation based in Nairobi, leaders from eastern region especially Meru have agreed to give the national government more time to resolve a trade impasse with Somalia after it emerged that Kenya was closing in on a deal.
Scores of traders, farmers and elected leaders — who have been planning demonstrations to compel the government to resolve the trade deadlock — on Monday said they would meet again on Friday to chart the way forward.
The group has now summoned five MPs and 23 ward representatives from miraa growing zones to help come up with a final verdict.
According to sources, Somalia last month demanded to export Kenya goods including fish, rice, sugar, honey, meat and milk in exchange of Khat from Kenya.
Somalia also asked treat Somalia as an equal, desist from interfering with Somalia’s internal affairs, apologise for violating Somalia airspace.
Kenya was also asked to stop forcing flights from Somalia to make a detour to Wajir for inspection.
Somali had also demanded government-to-government talks after it snubbed a delegation of traders and officials from Kenya crops regulator—Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA).
Somalia suspended importation of Khat in March after the country recorded its case of Coronavirus.
In recent months, Somali authorities turned back planes carrying Khat for violating suspension.
According Khat association in Kenya, Kenyan traders and Khat farmers have counted loses after the ban
August month alone, Somalia sent back a plane was carrying khat valued at $80,000.
Kenya used to export up to 50 tones of khat valued at $2.5 million daily to Somalia prior to the ban.
