Meru Governor Isaac Mutuma has criticised the culture of speeding among miraa transporters in Meru, terming it “foolishness” that should come to an end.
He said the speeding of the vehicles along the usually busy roads exposes the drivers and other road users to unnecessary dangers and called for urgent changes in how the crop is handled and delivered to markets.
Speaking during the inauguration of the Miraa Promotion Committee at the county headquarters, Mutuma challenged the newly commissioned committee to rethink long-standing practices that have normalised risky driving in the rush to preserve the freshness of miraa and meet delivery timelines.
The governor said the community must accept that relying on speed as the primary solution in the miraa business was unsustainable and dangerous, arguing that years of doing things the same way had not translated into meaningful progress.
“It is good that we admit that it is foolish. As a community, are we going to remain foolish for decades since miraa was invented? When will we ever say we have abandoned foolishness and chosen to become smarter?” questioned Governor Mutuma.
Mutuma questioned why traders continue to rush deliveries and drive at dangerous speeds out of fear that the crop could lose value if it arrives late.
He said delays should not become a permanent justification for endangering lives and challenged stakeholders to come up with systems that guarantee timely delivery without exposing drivers and other road users to danger.
“If you were late yesterday, you should not be late today. Find a solution so that you arrive on time without killing people, risking the lives of others and losing your own in the process,” he said.
The governor lamented that for years, the sector has continued operating under the same transport model without serious innovation despite changes in agriculture and logistics globally.
Drawing a comparison with coriander, commonly known as dania, Mutuma argued that more delicate produce is transported successfully to international destinations yet miraa traders continue to defend speeding as unavoidable.
He said the committee should focus on introducing better packaging methods and modern transport systems that preserve quality while reducing pressure to move at unsafe speeds.
The county boss tasked the committee with developing laws to regulate the sector, including setting licensing conditions and establishing fee structures that would allow the county to start generating revenue from the crop.
As part of the proposed reforms, the governor suggested introducing refrigerated vehicles to transport miraa more efficiently and eliminate the need for rushed deliveries.
Beyond transport, Mutuma called for value addition and urged stakeholders to expand the crop’s commercial potential beyond traditional consumption.
He said miraa products can be diversified into processed goods that generate more income and open new market opportunities while changing public perception around the crop.
“When we think about miraa, let us not think only about chewing. Let us think about drinks, cakes, chewing gum and even biscuits. We can even supply miraa products to people who work through the night, including police officers, military personnel, nurses and doctors,” Mutuma said.
Edited by John Majau
