WAR ON DRUGS

The government has declared war on drugs and substance abuse countrywide.

Internal Security Minister Prof. George Saitoti described hard drugs such as heroine and cocaine as an emerging national security threat since most users of the illicit substances were unproductive.

Speaking in Mvita grounds in Mombasa, Prof. Saitoti consequently directed District Commissioners to constitute district anti-drug committees with immediate effect.

He ordered the committees to gather intelligence on movement and consumption of hard drugs in the communities and round up all drug barons in their areas of jurisdiction within the next 100 days of the results based management of the rapid Results Initiative (RRI) program.

He noted that out of a population of over 650,000 inhabitants of coast province, 4.3 per cent were hooked on heroine, while 5.3 per cent smoked bhang and another 1.2 per cent were addicted to cocaine.

Quoting findings from the National Campaign Against Drugs Abuse Authority (NACADAA) Prof.Saitoti described coastal towns like Malindi,Mombasa and Lamu as the bedrock of the drug menace.

The Minister also warned security officers protect drug barons and traffickers as this will compromise government efforts to seek the assistance of the public in efforts to smoke out traffickers of this illicit trade from their bases.

Saitoti was accompanied by his PS Francis Kimemia, Assistant Minister Simeon Lesirma, Coast PC Earnest Munyi and all District Commissioners and eight PCs.

He directed district licensing courts chaired by DCs to close down all bars operating in residential areas as they exposed the youth to the risk of alcohol abuse.

The minister deplored the frequent traffic jams in Nairobi and Mombasa and announced that the government will purchase additional motorbikes for the traffic department to enable its officers to coordinate orderly movement of vehicles in the two major cities.