KAA moves to bring order in sorting, packaging of miraa at airport

The Agriculture Food Authority says miraa is a food crop and is regulated with guidelines on handling. [File, Standard]

The grading, sorting, and packaging of miraa for export at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport, Nairobi, verandas and walkways has been banned effective September 9, 2025.

Kenya Airports Authority (KAA) Managing Director Mohamud Gedi said the move was taken in line with international best practices and protocol in the handling export goods.

The decision is expected to bring order to the JKIA verandah and walkways, which were used for packaging miraa for export.

Gedi said the Agriculture Food Authority (AFA), the Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Service (Kephis), the Nairobi City County Government, and miraa exporters were consulted in making the decision.

“Effective September 9, there will be no more grading, sorting, packaging, and repackaging of miraa allowed on the pavements and walkways at JKIA,” he said. 

AFA Director General Bruno Linyiru said miraa is a food crop and is regulated with guidelines on transportation, handling, and packaging.

Linyiru said the practice of sorting and packing miraa on the pavements flouted international food safety standards.

“The idea is to have them sorted and packed safely like all other exports. This gives better assurance to our consumers locally and abroad,” said Dr Linyiru.

Kimathi Munjuri, chairman of the Nyambene Miraa Farmers and Traders Association (Nyamita), termed the move a step forward for the development and recognition of miraa.

“Enforcement measures put in place will ensure compliance with internationally accepted best practices in handing food crops,” he said.

Munjuri urged AFA and other agencies to ensure compliance with the KAA directive.

“Normally, miraa arrives at JKIA hot because of the journey from Maua. On arrival, it requires the exporters to unpack it from the sacks and spread it out in a well-aerated area to let off the heat and cool. It is also here where the exporters recheck the miraa for quality, size, and degradation. It is then repacked for loading processing,” Munjuri explained.

He said some exporters of miraa to Somalia have been packaging and sorting miraa at the Cargo Terminal 1 shed verandah and parking area, also known as KAHL at JKIA.

“For us, as Nyamita, yes, processing of the Miraa on the verandah of KAHL does not meet the required standards at all, and we support KAA for the step. It is also mostly in order because KAA involved us, other stakeholders concerned, and line government agencies in arriving at this decision. It has been long overdue, given that miraa is food,” he said.

Munjuri said there are set requirements for handling fresh product exports enforced by Kephis and AFA.

“We hope this signals a new beginning of full compliance enforcement, especially for miraa exports to Somalia, which has been getting treated as if the fresh produce of Kenya law for exports does not apply to it. It must be noted that transit sheds like the KAA Terminal 1 shed are not for preparing the cargo for shipping, as has been happening at Terminal 1,” he said.

He emphasized that transit sheds were purely for the final scaling, screening of cargo, and access to the airside for loading onto aircraft.

“So even by this standard, the KAA decision is again right. The decision by KAA only affects the stated operations at its shed. Miraa to Somalia, which is handled in the various warehouses at JKIA, is not affected.

“The affected shippers will therefore have to get other spaces within the airport or outside where they can grade their miraa and then take it to KAA Terminal 1 shed, ready for an air carriage for processing and loading,” he said.