MOGADISHU (Halbeeg News) – Somalia has granted Ethiopia 10 days of exclusive khat market access every month, a heavy blow to Kenya’s traders.
According to sources, Somali government has allowed Ethiopian Khat traders to import the stimulant to Somalia.
The developments come after Ethiopia reportedly lodged complaints with Somalia over Kenya’s dominance in the Somali khat market since President Hassan Mohamud lifted a ban on miraa last year.
Mogadishu government reportedly instructed cargo airlines operating from Nairobi not to allow miraa cargo from Friday.
Nyambene Miraa Trade Association (Nyamita) Chairman Kimathi Munjuri said the directives by Somalia mean there will be no Miraa export to Mogadishu from Friday night.
“We had alerted the government of this plan two weeks ago but it appears Kenyan officials have not been able to avert it,” Mr Munjuri said.
“The fact that Ethiopia has achieved exclusive trade days due to direct push by their prime minister shows the level of intervention Kenya must activate.”
He said Somalia had earlier introduced an import quota for Kenyan khat to accommodate the Ethiopian cargo.
“We have been limited to supplying 19 tonnes a day as opposed to our previous capacity of up to 50 tonnes. This is very unfair,” he said.
“Ethiopians should compete openly and fairly with us. Miraa trade with Somalia is deliberately protected by a bilateral agreement. The claim by Ethiopia that we have monopolised the market is not true because the trade is guided by market forces,” Mr Munjuri said.
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