25 cargo planes ferrying Miraa head to Mogadishu

A total of twenty five cargo planes transporting Miraa to Somalia left Nairobi for Mogadishu Thursday, September 15.

This was after the government of Somalia on Tuesday, September 13 lifted a ban on flights transporting the commodity to Mogadishu following a meeting between President Uhuru Kenyatta and his Somalia counterpart, Hassan Sheikh Mohamoud.

The ban was imposed on Thursday, September 8 but no official reasons had been given in the communication from Mogadishu.

Reports had indicated that the ban was placed after Meru Governor, Peter Munya, breached territorial authority and protocol by visiting Hargeisia, Somaliland without informing Mogadishu, claims Munya dismissed.

Highly placed sources, however, indicate that the suspension followed a request to a leading airline to suspend all flights to Mogadishu citing security reasons.

Miraa farmers and business persons have since welcomed the move praising the President’s intervention.

The farmers have also called upon the local leaders to avoid politicizing Miraa saying it is their source of livelihood.