Kenya, Sept. 18 -- A disturbing video circulating online has ignited widespread concern in Mombasa after capturing a local woman chewing muguka, the potent khat variant known as jaba, alongside a lit mosquito coil. The shocking muguka mosquito coil video, shared on social media platforms like Facebook and TikTok, shows the unidentified woman in what appears to be a dimly lit room, casually mixing the stimulant with the insect repellent in a bizarre ritual that has health experts and community leaders up in arms.
This footage, which surfaced late Wednesday, shows the escalating addiction crisis gripping Kenya's coastal region, where muguka consumption has surged amid ongoing debates over its legality and health impacts.
The video, first posted by a local activist account under the SOMA Project, a Swahili hip-hop initiative focused on youth issues in Mombasa's Coast Region, quickly amassed over 5,000 views within hours.
In the clip, the woman, estimated to be in her 30s, is seen tearing off pieces of muguka leaves and placing them near a glowing mosquito coil, inhaling the fumes deeply while chewing. She mutters something about "chasing the high" in Sheng, the coastal slang, before breaking into a fit of laughter.
The raw, unfiltered nature of the recording has left viewers stunned, with comments flooding in about the desperation driving such extreme behaviour. Muguka, a high-cathinone strain of khat grown in parts of Embu and Meru counties, has been at the centre of controversy since a June 2024 presidential directive banned its sale and distribution in coastal counties like Mombasa.
Courts later suspended the ban, allowing trade to resume, but not without heightened scrutiny. Health officials warn that muguka's potent stimulants can lead to insomnia, anxiety, and severe oral health issues, but mixing it with mosquito coils, a cheap, chemical-laden repellent, introduces even graver risks.
Dr Amina Hassan, a toxicologist at Aga Khan Hospital in Mombasa, explained that inhaling coil smoke exposes users to pyrethroids and other toxins, potentially causing respiratory damage, neurological effects, or even poisoning.
"This is a cry for help," she said in a phone interview. "Muguka alone is harmful; combining it with repellents like this could be fatal over time." Community reactions have been swift and polarised.
On Facebook, pages like Alinur Mohamed's official account reposted the video with captions urging intervention, while Bizna Kenya highlighted it as evidence of "muguka consumers mixing chew with mosquito coils, a social media alert."
One commenter wrote, "This is what poverty and addiction do in Mombasa's slums. We need rehab centres now." Others dismissed it as staged for attention, but local leaders aren't taking chances.
Mombasa County Governor Abdulswamad Shariff Nassir condemned the act during a press briefing, calling it "a symptom of unchecked substance abuse" and pledging increased patrols in hotspots like Likoni and Changamwe.
The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) announced plans to investigate, with spokesperson Dr Fred Nganga stating, "Such videos highlight the need for awareness campaigns tailored to coastal youth."
The incident isn't isolated. Reports from earlier this year noted similar trends among jobless youth in Mombasa, where economic hardships post-COVID have fuelled cheap highs.
A 2024 NACADA survey revealed that 15% of coastal teens experiment with muguka, often escalating to dangerous mixes due to tolerance buildup. Mosquito coils, ubiquitous in humid Mombasa homes to combat malaria-carrying pests, are now being eyed as an unintended gateway to harm.
On X (formerly Twitter), Kenyan users debated the ban's effectiveness, with one post reading, "Shocking muguka mosquito coil video proves we need real solutions, not politics."
Advocacy groups like the SOMA Project, which focuses on hip-hop-driven anti-drug messages, used the footage to launch a new campaign, distributing pamphlets in Mombasa's Uhuru Park. As authorities probe the video's origins, rumours suggest it was filmed in a Mombasa slum without consent, the incident serves as a stark reminder of Kenya's battle against substance abuse.
With the coastal region's youth unemployment at 25%, per the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, experts call for holistic interventions: job training, mental health support, and regulated alternatives to muguka. For now, the shocking muguka mosquito coil video has put Mombasa's hidden struggles under a harsh spotlight, urging action before more lives spiral.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Bana Kenya.