Kat (Miraa)

Main article: Drugs

Grass, which causes a short-term rise in strength and concentration and acts in the manner of amphetamines, is firmly entrenched in the cultural life of the inhabitants of the countries of the Horn of Africa - Somalia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya and its neighboring states.

In the photo - a resident of the unrecognized state of Somaliland, and in his hands - nothing more than khat.

Khat leaves chew and thus "catch high." The taste of khat is quite nasty (although, a matter of habit), strongly knits in the mouth. After consumption, it is considered good to interrupt the unpleasant taste of chewing gum. Therefore, in Somaliland and neighboring kato-consuming countries, sales of ordinary gum are off scale. For example, 120 million Ethiopia, in which khat is also very respected, is the largest market in Africa for Wrigley for 2021.

In men, the consumption of khat causes not only bankruptcy, but also impotence.

2022: Widespread on Africa's East Coast

Khat is distributed throughout the East Coast: from South Arabia to the island of Madagascar. Where, as in Kenya for example, it is not only legal, but the government even subsidizes the farmers who grow it (the export commodity is the currency). In other countries, such as Tanzania, it is officially banned, but many chew it nevertheless. Most kata per capita is consumed in Yemen. According to rumors, even children chew in this country.

In Somaliland, all men and many women use khat in 2022. The whole country is somehow involved either in production, or in transportation, or in the kat trade. This industry generates up to 40% of GDP.   Khat is not a cheap pleasure at all. In Somaliland, a bunch of khata, which is needed for one session, costs from $5 to $8, depending on the variety and brand (yes, there are several khata brands). In the capital of Madagascar, Antananarivo, such a bundle costs already 15-20 dollars, since it needs to be delivered by plane (khat loses its narcotic properties 24 hours after it was torn off).

Khat is loved not only in Africa, but also in Europe. Before England imposed a ban on the import of this grass a few years ago, Kenya Airways' daily Nairobi-London flight carried several tons of khat. Moreover, Kenya Airways received more money for the transportation of khat than for the transportation of passengers.

2020: Breaking communication between Kenya and Somalia hurts khat turnover

Farmers in Kenya's Meru District are the main producers of khat entering markets in Somalia. Therefore, the closure of khat markets in Somalia in March 2020 was considered a political action - this country has long-standing disputes with Kenya about drawing a maritime border. And recently, Kenya even accused Somalia of border provocations, when in the area of ​ ​ the Kenyan city of Mandera there were battles between Somali special forces and detachments of the former Minister of Security of the Somali state of Jubaland.

Thus, the Somali authorities tried to gracefully take revenge on their neighbor under the pretext of preventing coronavirus infection COVID-19.

It is curious that the Ethiopian khat still flows freely into the country by the river, but the Kenyan khat, still supplied by boats to the port of Kismayo, jumped tenfold in price - from 9-10 to $100 per kilogram.

"Muna Nur Farah began to hate her husband even before the coronavirus. He returned to his home in the capital Mogadishu about three in the night with empty pockets, squandering all the money for the drug khat. "This same week he brings home money, vegetables, mangoes, meat and other food," replies a happy Farah. 'I love him now. Life is beautiful».

The turnover of khat - a "male" drug - is in the hands of unmarried women - widows, divorced women and single mothers. A "lonely middle-aged woman" in some parts of Kenya is considered almost a euphemism for a thriving drug dealer. Many of them like this life. The saying "Miraa is my spouse!" has been flying off the lips of street vendors for decades. This often implies that the world feeds and dresses their children much better than any "useless" husbands.