Miraa farmers have a reason to smile as traders who petitioned President Uhuru Kenyatta's constitution of a task force have withdrawn the case. [Photo/the-star]
They made the decision as the matter was settled out of court. Respondents - Attorney General Githu Muigai, head of public service and State House chief of staff Joseph Kinyua, Treasury CS Henry Rotich and Agriculture's Willy Bett were in agreement.
High Court Judge Alfred Mabeya directed on Thursday that upon consent by the two groups, the miraa taskforce report should be implemented without further delay.
Mabeya ordered that the national government consult and cooperate with the Meru county government in the miraa value chain and implementation of the report.
He said the governments will involve the first, second, third and fourth petitioners and other stakeholders, with each party bearing own respective costs.
Kimathi Munjuri, Jacob Miriti, and Naftaly Kathurima moved to court on behalf of Nyambene Miraa Traders Association and sued the respondents, seeking to bar implementation of the report.
The petitioners argued that the President transformed the 14-member task force into an implementation committee without consulting stakeholders and the county.
They also said several constitutional provisions, such as public participation and functions of the county government, were violated.
"The report by taskforce does not reflect the views, concerns, and interests of the Miraa Traders Association, and especially the Nyambene Miraa Traders Association, stakeholders, farmers and the county government of Meru," the petitioner’s statement read in part.
The petitioners also opposed the respondents' release of Sh1.2 billion saying it would not benefit farmers, traders, and other stakeholders.
The head of state had directed his administration to release the amount and another Sh1 billion to cushion miraa farmers from challenges in the sector.
Recommendations in the report include registration of miraa farmers to facilitate targeted interventions and eliminate possible fraud and provision of seed capital f.or farmers to access affordable credit.
The government is also to conduct a scientific study at KEMRI, in collaboration with the European Union, for a ban to be lifted