Pubdate: Fri, 02 Apr 2004 Source: New Vision (Uganda) Copyright: 2004 New Vision Contact: http://www.newvision.co.ug/ Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/522 Author: Oscar Bamuhigire MAIRUNGI TRADE BOOMS IN UGANDA Kampala CUNNING, baffling, and powerful, it is probably the only narcotic that has slipped through the sharp jaws of our legal system. To add insult to injury, our reckless taxi drivers have taken to habitually chewing mairungi in combination with other subtle crude, brain wrecking substances, behind their rusted wheels, much to our detriment and sometimes, demise. Mairungi is now consumed openly by a substantial percentage of our population. Most of its consumers, however, assume that it is a harmless, mood altering substance. They are wrong. "Mairungi is a narcotic because it has the ingredients of a narcotic drug," Michael Were, the director of Anti Narcotics, in the Uganda Police Force says. Simon Nantamu, a Psychology lecturer at Makerere University, echoes similar warnings. "There is no doubt that mairungi, like any other narcotic, can cause mental illness," he says. In spite of the potential risks this drug poses to the human mind and brain, it is widely consumed by the local population and without much legal consequence. "There is a big problem of mairungi in the country especially among taxi drivers. The cause may be their hectic routine, because their work is too stressful. They take mairungi in an attempt to break the monotony of their work life, and alter their energy levels. That is why there are many accidents," says Nantamu. "Another reason they take mairungi is because it is not detectable on breath in case of an accident. The problem is that it is addictive and those who take it remain hooked onto the drug long after they quit their professions," he adds. "Mairungi is being consumed allover the country in the open," Were reveals in near desperation. "It is consumed openly in our slums and other urban areas. It is most common in places like local video clubs where it is even sold openly." Other obvious places where this stuff is sold and consumed are the dismal corners and corridors of Kafumbe Mukasa Road, Arua Park, Kibuli slums and worse still, such people are not, and cannot be arrested for this substance. "Mairungi is not illegal in Uganda and that is why these people chew and trade in it freely. "Government is coming up with a bill which has already been presented to Parliament, and deals with narcotics and psychotropic substances. When it is out, it will pave the way for the arrest of these mairungi consumers," says Were. The temporary glow of hope that had cut across Were's face, suddenly dies away as soon as it had appeared, when his colleague, Moses Adipa, a narcotics officer, raises some issues of national importance. "While it is illegal to consume or trade in mairungi in Zambia and Tanzania, it is not illegal in neighboring Kenya, Ethiopia and Somalia, among other countries," he asserts. Were says this is likely to make any drug law enforcement against mairungi very difficult when we share common borders with countries that do not consider it illegal. "In Kenya, people are allowed to trade in and consume mairungi. They are given licenses to cultivate mairungi and these people ferry marungi on a daily basis to countries like Yemen and make so much money in the process," Were and Adipa reveal. Ugandans, on the other hand, seem to be making their share of money from the domestic market, tax free, from this booming trade. Adipa shows the direct link between mairungi and other harder drugs. "Mairungi is a stepping stone for harder drugs. When these people reach a certain point they feel they need something stronger and they take on to marijuana or heroine." Were and Adipa say Ugandans are also taking to cultivating their own supply of mairungi, though their domestic market prefers the mairungi grown in Kenya. "There are different brands, depending on their countries of origin," they reveal. What Ugandans export mainly to Kenya is marijuana grown in Busia, among other places. Taxi drivers are at the top of the list of mairungi consumers, followed by students. Were and Adipa, consider this to be a major cause of road accidents these days. "Taxi drivers, like other mairungi consumers, tend to consume it along with other substances like marijuana, alcohol, or heroine, and other narcotics because they want to get a stronger effect," says Were. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom