Mugguka Manace

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 muguka menace

Having found its way into the market in the late 1990s, Muguka hit the streets and estates of Nairobi In Marlboro polythene bags within a short period of time and has since grown greatly both in popularity and usage.

Muguka leaves

Muguka is a leafy Miraa-like drug grown in Embu and its surroundings. it is chewed using gum or groundnuts to reduce its bitterness. The chewing helps extract the juice from the leaf which is then swallowed. It is this juice that stimulates the users mind.

At around 12 noon, most of the youth are already prepared having hustled enough to afford the drug. They bathe and take lunch early and wait for the retailers to arrive. Daniel Kibet has been taking the drug for the last ten years and is now waiting for their favorite retailer Michael Kamau commonly known to his customers as ‘kamaa’.

Kamaa doesn’t fail them and by 1 o’clock, he arrives and settles to serve his customers. the quantity depends on how much money one has with the minimum quantity being set at kshs20 during rainy season and kshs 30or 40 during dry season.

Michael explains that the business is very profitable and helps feed his family; “the Marlboro bag goes for kshs 1500 at wholesale price and upon selling, am able to make kshs 2500 or more when the busness is good”, he says.

The drug has grown to be come more popular than khat which ha originally dominated the market. this is because t is easily accessible at the bus stages and the estate kiosks, cheaper compared to khat and because its stimulation takes effect faster than khat.

Daniel says this has been his daily routine and it helps him avoid the stressing life and the problem of being jobless as he puts it I Sheng.

“ Manze hii something ni poa, yaani steam yake ni noma saa kushinda ya veve,steam yake inakupeleka world ingine ( this thing is so cool that its maximum effect is more stronger than that of miraa (khat) such that it takes you to another world”, he says.

The drug has been christened Ketepa in reminiscence of the once fashionable brad of Kenyan tea.

By enticing the majority of the unemployed youth, the constant supply of muguka has made them opt to be idle most of the time instead of looking for honest work and therefore most of them resolve to borrowing from working friends and parents.

Their inability to access jobs has led them to harass and rob innocent people of their money, mobile phones and other valuables. To them, the source of income is irrelevant and being able to obtain muguka daily is enough for them.

Health specialists, have warned against the abuse of the drug because of its adverse effects it cases