Kenya

A multi-stakeholder campaign in Lamu Old Town, Kenya, successfully advocated for the ban of miraa (khat) starting in 2001. This effort involved Islamic groups, youth and women’s organizations, teachers’ unions, government officials from the National Museums of Kenya, and community-based organizations. The push was reinforced by Yemeni migrants, who brought with them a cultural memory of qat consumption that aligned with Islamic practices. Lamu, an ancient Swahili city-state on the north Kenyan coast, served as a microcosm for broader debates on miraa’s societal impacts in Kenya. The campaign reflected widespread concerns about the substance’s detrimental effects, blending local and migrant perspectives to shape policy outcomes.

Anderson, D., Beckerleg, S., Hailu, D., & Klein, A. (2020). Kenya. The Khat Controversy, 99–114. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003087038-8