Hargeisa (SD) – Somaliland is unable to stop khat imports from Ethiopia, as authorities order mosques in the country to shut their doors.

Somaliland’s Information Minister, Saleban Yusuf Kore, told reporters today that Somaliland does not have forces to stop khat. He pointed out that they barely have large enough forces for the country’s internal security.

“We evaluated the experience gained in the Kat bans of 1983, 1984 and the English ban of 1950s and we concluded that we needed volunteer army to institute a new Kat ban” said minister Kore.

The minister responding to public demand on a Kat ban seem to be signaling the authorities refusal to ban the drug.

Somaliland recently announced that all mosques should be closed as part of mitigation efforts to stop the spread of Covid-19, leading to more questions on authorities selective application of the law.

Ethiopia is the only exception to Covid-19 mitigation efforts in the country, as their airliner is also exempted from the flight ban.

Somaliland has confirmed 5 Covid-19 cases in both Hargeisa and Borama and they all flew from Ethiopia.

Somaliland imports its Kat from Ethiopian, a country that registered Coronavirus cases.