Miraa traders in the Horn Africa region will have to prepare for an uncertain future as the Federal Government of Somalia continues to shut them out.
In Kenya, miraa farmers and traders have been faulting the inaction by their government.
According to them, the government has failed to negotiate with the government of Somalia to lift the ban on miraa trade.
Somalia imposed a ban on miraa trade in early March 2020 as part of measures for curbing the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic around the country.
Since then, planes carrying the product have been denied entry into the country.
On August 3, Somalia lifted the ban on international flights and indicated that planes carrying essential products would be allowed into the country.
However, it removed miraa from the list of products labeled essential.
Kenyan traders said Somali officials had told them why miraa ban remains in place.
First, the officials told them the ban would not be lifted as long as Kenya’s stance on products from Somalia does not change.
Secondly, the traders were also informed the ban would remain intact as long as Kenya Airways does not resume its flights to Mogadishu.
Consequently, the traders continue appealing to their government to step in and negotiate with Somalia officials.