Miraa and avocado traders in the country have contested government’s decision to kick them out of the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA).
Speaking to the media on Friday, October 6, the traders lamented that the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) had made the decision to remove them from spaces that they had been using for years to sort and package their products without proper consultation.
Moreover, according to them, KAA sent out a letter dated October 2 to a number of recipients including the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) directing them to use a warehouse adjacent to Hilton Garden Hotel.
“All miraa and avocado shipments will be delivered to Mitchell Cotts Logistics Centre Sunflag Warehouse adjacent to Hilton Garden Hotel – Mombasa Road for sorting, packaging, and other freight processing activities to be ready for carriage the letter read in part.
“No miraa pick-ups will be allowed to access JKIA premises as discussed in the security meeting,” it added.
Response From the Miraa Traders
The Nyambene Miraa Traders Association have lamented that kicking them out of JKIA was not part of the decisions made in the referenced meeting.
At the same time, they stated that there was an ill motive behind the move, adding that they are not sure the new facility they have been directed to use and are unaware of its capacity.
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“We have not even gone to the facilities to see how it looks like and if it will accommodate all the workers that come to prepare the miraa for airlift.
We have not been told how it will be divided because they are all different companies,” the association’s representative stated.
Moreover, they stated that they were not given any reason for the move, adding that the letter only refers to the meeting which was held by the exporters and the association.
“That letter is a blatant misinterpretation of what happened in that meeting. We have no problem as long as it is for the good of our industry,” added the association.
Losses in Millions and Other Negative Effects of the Directive
Furthermore, the traders lamented that because they were getting into the rainy season, they needed to have smooth operations to ensure they benefited from their business.
“But as it is, we are going into the rainy season, and we don’t want any interruption of our activities. We want to have smooth operations,” the representative added.
In addition, they noted that they would make losses in millions because they will be forced to stop operations to allow the transition to take place.
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“We will not be able to export miraa for a week or two as the transition happens. That means losses for the traders and farmers. We are talking about 20 to 30 Tonnes daily of miraa that will not be exported,’ explained the traders.
