Alex (Not his real name), a 16-year-old boy from Kiritiri in Embu has been engaged in picking muguka for several years now.
In 2023, he dropped out of Class Eight after being sent home severally to clear school fees arrears and focused on working in muguka farms.
“I was often out of school because I could not afford to pay the fees required. We lost our father and our mother was married elsewhere leaving us under the care of our elder sister. I abandoned education because I could not raise about Sh20,000 owed to the school,” he says.
Alex, who remembers dropping out with four other classmates, now works daily earning Sh100 per basin of muguka harvested and can make up to Sh300 on a good day.
“During the rainy season when muguka is in abundance, we are paid Sh50 per basin. The money is only enough to keep us fed. If I get support, I would like to join a vocational college to learn an electrical and wiring skill,” Alex says.
This is the same tale from his elder brother and sister who also dropped out of school and ventured into the muguka business.
According to estimates by various child organizations, at least 10,000 children are engaged in the muguka business in Embu County.
In Meru County, Njuri Ncheke Council of Elders last year identified about 30,000 school dropouts in Miraa growing zones and kicked off a campaign to take all children back to school.
While miraa and muguka are major economic drivers in Meru and Embu counties with trade in the crops estimated at over Sh40 billion annually, alarm has been sounded over child labour in the subsector.
Despite efforts to sensitize the public, a fight for the children rages on between the classrooms and the miraa/muguka farms, with leaders and educationists saying the problem is a threat to society.
So far, little has been done to retain the children in school despite the Constitution, various international conventions, and Kenyan laws guaranteeing the right to free and compulsory basic education.
The grim reality of child labour in the sector is mirrored in dwindling numbers in schools in these areas.
About three years ago, Gikiiro Secondary School which is located at the cradle of Muguka growing in Mbeere South, Embu County, was on the verge of closure.
Amid booming muguka business and growing demand for cheap labour in the sprawling plantations, children chose the farms over the classroom.
By early 2022, the school had been left with 25 learners only jolting the community and other stakeholders into action.
A raft of measures by residents saw the population of the school improve to about 100 students currently.
According to David Muchoki, 20, who dropped out at class seven, many children are pushed into the labour market due to a lack of fees.
“I started picking muguka at 16 years old and can fill five basins earning up to Sh500 every morning. Despite dropping out of school, I would want to do a technical course because there is no future in being a miraa picker,” Muchoki says.
A spot check at Gatumbiri Primary School in the outskirts of Kiritiri market establishes that the population has declined from 250 to 125 this term.
However, the management blames the dwindling numbers on the withdrawal of a school feeding programme that children from needy families relied on.
According to Kianjiru assistant chief Wanjiru Njiru, most of the children are lured into the muguka trade due to poverty and broken families.
“In my sub-location, I was able to take back six children who had dropped out of school to venture into the muguka business. We have noted a trend where most boys abandon learning at Grade seven,” Ms Njiru said.
Reverend Cecily Nyaga, who has been campaigning against child labour in Mbeere South, says many children also rise early to pick Muguka before going to school.
“Due to fatigue from early morning work, they cannot concentrate in class. With time, they become truant and concentrate on muguka harvesting for the money. This is why many schools have a high population of girls compared to boys,” Rev Nyaga says.
To eliminate child labour, Membe Business Cooperative chairman Peter Njeru says they are enforcing rules to ensure no child takes part in miraa harvesting.
“The only time we allow children in the farms is during holidays when they are helping their parents. We are ensuring all children are in school,” Mr Njeru says.
Ms Njiru says frequent school inspections to follow up on truant learners are helping salvage the situation.
In Meru, Njuri Ncheke elders, working closely with the authorities and other civil society organisations are not leaving anything to chance.
Last year, data collated by elders from locations in Igembe North, Igembe Central, and Igembe South indicated that 30,000 children were out of school.
However, Njuri Ncheke chairman Linus Kathera says deliberate steps by chiefs, elders, and Nyumba Kumi members have seen a big percentage return to school.
“Since last year, Njuri Ncheke started handling cases of school dropouts by taking action against parents who neglect their children. We also formed Khat Community Sacco where members can get school fees' loans secured by their miraa crop,” Mr Kathera said.
The Council of Elders’ courts has also been instructed to heavily fine traders and farmers found to be engaging children in the Miraa business.
“Njuri Ncheke courts will be demanding hefty fines and ensure those promoting child labour are prosecuted in a court of law. We cannot allow rogue business people to sabotage the future of the community for selfish interest,” Njuri Ncheke chairman said.
Naathu Chief Charles Nkunja said seven people are currently in court for involving children in the miraa business.
He said as schools opened for the first term this year, 300 children had failed to report back, with the majority in employment.
Igembe Development Organisation (IDO) Secretary Murithi Kimencu said through the Khat Community Sacco, they are leveraging on the miraa income to keep all children in school.
“In most cases, children have been dropping out of school because of parental negligence and lack of money. Khat Community Sacco is advancing cheap school fees' loans to Miraa farmers to eliminate the excuse of lack of money.”
“The loan is repaid every time the farmer sells their miraa. This way, we will be able to keep more children in class,” Mr Kimencu says.
The organisation is also working with law enforcement officers to monitor farms and traders who engage children workers.
“No community has succeeded by having children as part of its labour force. Child labour is a big problem in the miraa subsector and we must call it out for what it is – illegality,” Mr Kimencu says.
Stakeholders in Meru and Embu are now calling for concerted efforts to keep children from miraa growing areas in the classrooms.
