First khat flight lands in Mogadishu after one week suspension

The first flight from Kenya, transporting Khat landed at Mogadishu airport on Wednesday following the agreement reached between Kenya and Somalia to lift the ban.

The resumption of flights transporting khat was announced yesterday after the conclusion following the conclusion of the IGAD heads of states summit.

According to Khat traders who spoke to Goobjoog News, the stimulant tree has been finally imported after Somalia’s government lifted the suspension of khat flights from entering Somali airspace.

Hassan Ahmed, Khat trader, said a plane carrying 400 kg of Khat, the leafy narcotic from neighbouring Kenya has arrived in Mogadishu which has seen one week old miraa suspension.

The development has been hailed by Somali khat traders who solely depend on the red-stemmed, green-leafed plan for their livelihood.

“This is a significant progress and we thank Kenya and Somalia leaders, this is beginning we expect the flights be normal as usual ” Ahmed.

He said Somali khat traders suffered loss following the Khat ban “The ban was a big  problem to us, we incurred heavy loss.”

Somalia rescinded its decision to ban Khat from the country following an agreement reached between President Uhuru Kenyatta and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Mogadishu on Tuesday.

Somalia announced September 5 that it was suspending flights transporting khat from Kenya till further notice adding any contravention would be met with consequences.

Before the suspension of khat,  more than 15 cargo flights full of khat use to arrive in Somalia’s capital, Mogadishu, every day from Kenya.

Khat is banned in the US, Canada and most of Europe — all places with large diaspora Somali communities.