Measuring the Economic Impact of Khat (Mira) on Somalia
Somalia’s khat bill: How a daily airlift of mira to Mogadishu drains a fragile economy
Somalia’s dependence on khat—known locally as qaad and as mira in Kenya—has evolved from a social habit into a structural economic liability. Official statements tabled in Kenya’s National Assembly on December 3, 2025, show just how lopsided the trade has become: Somalia is Kenya’s largest export destination for mira, accounting for more than 95 percent of Kenya’s total mira export volume. The crop supports an estimated 110,000 Kenyan…