The government could be losing more than Sh50 million annually in levies due to undeclared miraa destined for Somalia.
According to Nyambene Miraa Trade Association (Nyamita), Kenya exports more than 40 tonnes of miraa daily, yet the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) only recorded an average of 20 tonnes.
Following the enactment of the Miraa regulations, AFA charges Sh7 per kilo of miraa exported.
AFA has in the past indicated that Kenya’s miraa exports to Somalia are capped at 20 tonnes daily, following the market's reopening in July 2022.
However, in February last year, Nyamita flagged government agencies, including the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the Miraa, Pyrethrum and Other Industrial Crops Directorate (MPICD), and the Kenya Airports Authority (KAA), for providing contradicting figures on the amount of miraa exported daily.
According to a report by KAA, seen by Daily Nation, 65,326 kilos of miraa were exported in July 2022, while AFA records indicated 118,600 kilograms, indicating a variance of more than 53,000 kilos.
Further, AFA recorded 599,094 kilos of miraa were exported in July 2023, while KAA recorded 724,531 kilos in the same period, a difference of more than 125,000 kilos.
The data by KAA was as provided by licensed Miraa handling sheds at the Jomo Kenyatta International Airport (JKIA) while AFA gets its data from licensed exporters. JKIA handles between eight and 11 miraa cargo flights to Somalia daily.
In a letter sent to the AFA Director General, Nyamita spokesman Kimathi Munjuri protested that under-declaration of miraa export volumes was hurting the sector through loss of public funds allocation.
“We request the MPICD to move with speed and find ways to receive the exact quantities of miraa shipped out of the country and share for informed decision making in government.” Nyamita spokesman Kimathi Munjuri stated.
However, the inquiry was never responded to, prompting the association to do a follow-up in April 2025.
According to Mr Munjuri, the government may have lost well over Sh126 million between July 2022 and April 2025 to undeclared tonnage.
“We request the AFA to look into this matter and if our estimates are true, it points to a case of deliberate theft of government revenue, which is tantamount to economic sabotage of the country and the miraa subsector,” Mr Munjuri states.
But speaking to the Daily Nation , AFA Director General Bruno Linyiru said a review of the claims by the authority did not find any anomalies.
“The association has been basing its claim on the number of vehicles that ferry miraa out of Meru, yet not all of them end up in the export market. These claims are similar to the allegation that a 4.5USD commission is charged at the airport. We have records of all miraa that leaves Kenya and have not been able to lay our hands on any proof of the allegations,” Dr Linyiru said.
He, however, said the AFA would appreciate any leads that would enable them to verify the allegations.
“We would also want to get to the bottom of this matter because we need that revenue,” he said.
Nyamita now wants the matter proved and traders found culpable in the under-declaration scheme to be blacklisted and be compelled to pay back the lost revenue.
