Africa-Press – Kenya. The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) has welcomed President William Ruto’s New Year’s address, which placed alcohol and drug abuse at the forefront of Kenya’s national agenda for 2026.
In a statement released, Nacada Board chairperson Stephen Mairori said the authority fully supports the President’s strong stance and reiterated its commitment to working with the government to rid Kenya of the harms associated with substance abuse.
The statement highlighted the alignment between Nacada’s mission and the government’s newly renewed focus on addiction prevention and rehabilitation.
Ruto, in his New Year address delivered from Eldoret State Lodge on December 31, declared alcohol and drug abuse a national emergency that threatens public health, national security, productivity, and the social fabric of the country.
He noted alarming statistics showing that one in six Kenyans aged 15-65 uses at least one substance of abuse, with over 4.7 million people affected, and that initiation into harmful use often begins in the teenage years.
“This crisis demands decisive national action,” Ruto said, unveiling a comprehensive government strategy to confront the menace through enforcement, prevention, and multi-agency cooperation.
Central to the plan is the establishment of a strengthened Anti-Narcotics Unit within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), with capabilities comparable to the elite Anti-Terrorism Police Unit.
The unit’s personnel will be expanded from 200 to 700 officers and equipped with modern surveillance, intelligence, forensic, and financial investigation tools to target high-level drug traffickers and illicit alcohol networks.
The President also emphasised that asset tracing, seizure, and forfeiture would feature prominently in narcotics and illicit alcohol investigations, with recovered assets redirected toward rehabilitation, prevention, and treatment programmes.
Ruto warned that any government official or security officer found colluding with traffickers would be prosecuted and dismissed from service.
In its response, Nacada said it will strengthen both operational and governance frameworks in line with the President’s vision, and will work closely with partners across government, civil society, and county administrations to reinforce prevention, enforcement, and public education interventions.
“Through stronger policy measures, coordinated action, and sustained collaboration across government agencies and stakeholders, Nacada remains resolute in safeguarding the well-being of all Kenyans,” the board chair said.
The authority also expressed appreciation for President Ruto’s leadership and goodwill in the fight against alcohol and drug abuse and pledged “unwavering commitment to the realisation of a healthy nation.”
Ruto’s declaration of 2026 as a year of accountability and intensified action against substance abuse signals a marked shift in national policy, one that Nacada and its partners are now poised to support fully in the months ahead.
