The Ugandan Parliament passed the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Control Bill 2023 that is intended to prohibit the use of Khat and other narcotic substances.

If the bill is assented to by President Yoweri Museveni to become law, an exception for dealing in the substances shall require the clearance from Ministry of Health.

If the bill is assented to in its current form, those who will be found in possession of the substances face up to 20 years in jail or a fine of sh1 billion or both.

Arua One FM visited some of the mairungi farms in Arua City particularly those in Ayivu East division and spoke to some of the growers.

The khat growers are willing to give up the growing of the plant considered by many as a drug. The individuals and groups  interviewed  have appealed to government to provide alternatives arguing that  that  quitting this trade will mean loss of income. Emmanuel Andama a khat grower in Angufea cell, Dadamu ward says he has been deriving his  livelihood from growing mairungi and wonders what government will have as an alternative if the growing is banned.

“Mairungi  has been my source of income for years. At least the government should do something better for us before destroying this crop”, Andama said.

Another farmer, John Acidri Olema says they have limited land that cannot favor the growing of other crops and their small pieces of land can only allow the growing of khat. Acidri says the government should sensitize them on how they can best use their land.

Local leaders speak out

Steven Afimani the LC1 Chairperson of Angufea cell admits that the plant has both advantages and disadvantages, saying the negative impact can be rectified.

“There are incidents of fights over money sold from mairungi in households and cases where children are involved in the fields and fail to go to school. These can be handled with strong bylaws”, Afimani said.

The LC2 chairperson of Dadamu ward agrees with the idea of first empowering the young people with other skills so they can think of embracing other economic activities.

Geoffrey Feta, the Ayivu East division Member of Parliament believes that more consultations are still needed before a law is passed to ban mairungi.

He says many people and even the government have directly or indirectly gained from mairungi. MP Feta says the growers and consumers should first be extensively engaged and their views sought.

“It is important that as leaders, we listen to them.  My view was that if this crop is grown and supported for purposes of herbal medicine then I don’t see anything wrong with that”, he said.

Health experts have their say

Bernard Amaga, the senior public health educator in Arua City health department says some of the strange health impacts of mairungi addiction include constipation, dilated eyes, tooth decay and loss of sexual feelings.

“You see that you are eating food but not visiting the latrine because the normal function of the digestive system has been disrupted. Some of the mairungi chewers have enlarged eyes and usually their teeth are darkened leading to teeth decay and other serious dental problems. They also experience diminished sexual drive and when they go home they cannot do anything apart from just sleeping”, Amaga said

Daniel Dratibi Drileba, another health expert has interested himself in researching further about mairungi. He says it has dire financial implications on the consumer because of other expenses that come along with chewing khat.

“Chewing mairungi has to go with Big-G, some other chewing gums, some soda, mineral water and by the time you add the expenses, it comes to over Shs10,000. If somebody is chewing this daily you are sure that monthly someone is spending about Shs330,000. In the course of the year poverty comes in because your first budget is khat”, Dratibi said.

Dr. Alex Adaku, Consultant Psychiatrist at Ministry of Health and Fort Portal Regional Referral Hospital Director, calls for wide sensitization once the narcotic and psychotropic law is passed.

“The first thing that we have to do is to popularize this law and make everybody involved. You can see how gradually tobacco consumption and production has gone down. I don’t think much of it was enforcement on the part of police or other law enforcement agencies”, Dr. Adaku said.

He adds that because most people embraced the anti-tobacco law, with sensitization this can also apply to the bill on mairungi.

“Many people got in and now you can see that this has gone down. We can be able to learn from the trend in tobacco and use this for other illicit substances that are already outlawed in the new bill”.

Addiction

Khat can make a user psychologically dependent (with cravings and a desire to keep using in spite of potential harm). When some users stop using, they can feel exhausted or mildly depressed and may have a withdrawal period with fine tremors and nightmares.

 Mental health risks

The khat consumer may develop insomnia and short-lived states of confusion. It can give one a feeling of anxiety and aggression. It can make pre-existing mental health problems worse and can cause paranoid and psychotic reactions (which may be associated with irritability, anxiety and losing touch with reality).