This archive report was first published on 6 May 2020.
May 6, 2020 - A bitter dispute between Garissa Governor Ali Korane and Bura MP Ali Wario has escalated over the sale and transportation of miraa in the region. The two leaders have been at odds over Korane's directives that have caused disharmony among neighboring counties.
According to sources, Korane had issued two orders that could not be implemented due to a lack of consultation beforehand. The first directive banned the transportation and sale of miraa within Garissa County, while the second order prohibited the movement of vehicles, boda boda, and Tuk tuks in and out of Garissa town.
However, on April 6, President Uhuru Kenyatta issued a directive classifying miraa as farm produce, whose movement was not restricted, effectively overriding Korane's order. The move saw youth from neighboring Madogo and Mororo markets in Tana County temporarily barricade the Garissa-Nairobi highway, forcing the Garissa County administration to back down on the decision.
Bura MP Ali Wario accused Korane of undermining his Tana counterpart, Dadho Godana, by issuing directives that caused disharmony among neighboring counties. National Assembly Majority Leader and Garissa Township MP, Aden Duale, weighed in on the matter, stating that governors have no powers to enforce cessation of movement orders and that only the Interior CS can issue valid directives.
