Hiiraan Online
Tuesday, May 24, 2016
MOGADISHU (HOL) – Somalia is arguably the country with the highest number of Khat consumers in the world, making it a major market for Khat farmers in neighboring countries who sent million tons of the stimulant narcotic drugs to Somalia each month.
Khat which is largely exported to Somalia by Ethiopia and Kenya was estimated to be worth $100 million to the Kenyan economy while it counts over £160m a year for Ethiopia alone, making the drug its fourth largest export.
However, calls for the Khat to be banned in the horn of Africa nation have gained momentum in recent months, with campaigners say that the herbal stimulant leafs cause medical problems and family breakdowns.
Last week, Somalia’s president Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has warned his country was losing millions of dollars to the use of the narcotic Khat leaves largely used by Somali men which he said continue to have an adverse socio-economic consequences on many other aspects of life in the horn of Africa nation.
With over 20 million users in horn of Africa, the stimulant green leaves that produce a sense of euphoria in users become a major business export for khat farmers that turned their once agricultural farms into drug lands.
In addition, Abukar Awale, a former Khat addict who now campaigns the ban of the drugs finally takes his campaign to Somalia, drawing a large support from locals in Somalia, mostly university students and ordinary citizens.
Having led a similar campaign in UK which has led to the ban of the drugs by the government in 2014, Mr. Awale believes that his campaign is gaining momentum in Somalia where millions of people use the drugs.
“My message to the Somalis is to rise up against this drug which is destroying thousands of families,” he said in an interview with HOL Tuesday.
Mr. Awale says that the as drug classified as a class C drug by the UK government was a major threat to the country’s stabily, sending a message to Kenyan and Ethiopian farmers who called the Khat ban move as a "declaration of war".
“My message to the East African farmers especially Kenyans and Ethiopians that time has come for them to look for alternatives in the farming industry as this Khat business is going die away soon.” He said.
Asked challenges facing his campaign in Somalia where businessmen including influential politicians and government officials earn their living from the Khat businesses, he brushed off on a potential impact it will have on his campaign.
“I have faced similar obstacles in UK, but together with the Somali community in UK overcome it and succeeded, therefore, I have better advantage here in Somalia where our campaign is gaining momentum and had a large support base. It’s a lot easier than the UK.