Nairobi, 8th August 2025
Nairobi County Chief Officer for Markets and Trade Ms. Jane Wangũi has assured Miraa exporters of the county Government’s commitment to providing a conducive environment for the traders to thrive. She however stressed that the businesses must be conducted in an orderly and dignified manner.
Speaking at a stakeholder meeting held at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA), which brought together officials from Nairobi City County, Agriculture and Food Authority(AFA), Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), and Miraa exporters to address issues of Miraa handling at the airport, Ms. Wangũi announced that Nairobi County will soon break ground for a specialized Miraa Market at Ziwani Kariokor.” This is the right time to partner as government agencies and exporters to improve how Miraa is handled and ensure we build capacity and sensitize traders to handle Miraa with dignity so that people can respect it as a product,” She said.
“Ms. Wangũi reiterated that Nairobi County is mandated to establish physical and online markets infrastructure, issue licenses, and ensure compliance with permit requirements. She further disclosed that the county is willing to allocate Miraa exporters a temporary packaging space at the Kangundo Road market, which is located closer to the airport but will need to adhere to certain county conditions. This would allow exporters to prepare their shipments before arriving at the JKIA, ensuring the product reaches the airport fully packaged and ready for export.
Agriculture and Food Authority Director General, Dr. Bruno Linyiru said that Miraa was a gazzetted crop, recognized and promoted by the government. “There is no need to treat Miraa with suspicion. It is AFA’s responsibility to ensure that it is properly handled and that traders are treated with respect while complying with regulations,” he said.
Supporting the Director General’s remarks, Ms. Grace Kyalo, the Director Miraa, Pyrethrum, Fibre and other Industrial Crops Directorate, noted that existing regulations stipulate best practices for handling Miraa in a dignified manner. These include adherence to quality and safety standards, as well as mainstreaming all players in the value chain – from growers, farmers, aggregators, transporters, and forwarders. “One of the key aspects of the regulation is to make sure Miraa complies with the standards, particularly in terms of quality and safety.” She added.
Kenya Airports Authority Commercial Manager Mr. Jacob Bwana urged exporters to ensure that Miraa arriving at the airport is already packaged and ready for carriage.” Going forward, there will be no operational handling or preparation of Miraa at the airport. At KAA, we focus on facilitating proper operations, safety, and security. While we are committed to supporting the businesses, exporters must adhere to proper handling protocols,” Mr. Bwana stated.
Also present at the meeting was a representative from the Kenya Plant Health inspectorate Service (KEPHIS) who stressed the importance of using the right pesticides to ensure the crop is safe for consumers.
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