Africa-Press – Kenya. Anti-drug and substance abuse clubs have been formed in schools in scaled up fight against drug trafficking in Marsabit county. This follows the worrying levels of drug abuse among secondary school students.
Nacada, during an anti-drug and substance abuse campaign in Saku, said the problem has become a threat to the youth in Marsabit county. County commissioner Nobert Komora said the move is deliberate and is expected to create awareness on the problem.
He said law enforcement agents will continue to devise methods to curtail drug trafficking. The anti-drug and substance abuse clubs will be used to sensitise school communities on the vice.
Members are expected to conduct civic education in partnership with Nacada in the villages during holidays. “We are not going to relent on this fight. I appeal to the community to boost our efforts and make timely reports to security agencies for action” said Kamora.
Marsabit ACK bishop Daniel Qampicha, while calling on a collaborative effort in handling the menace, said places of worship have also been adversely affected.
He said the number of youth faithfuls in different religions has been on the decline due to drug abuse. Qampicha urged the government to declare drug and substance abuse a national disaster.
He also urged NGOs to come up with strategic campaign programmes to fight the menace. “The divorce rate among the youth is alarming and the gender-based violence numbers are also worrying. If not promptly arrested, the situation could rob the country a generation,” he said.
Student representatives admitted to accessing the drugs in Marsabit town and residential areas They said the most popular drugs are bhang and miraa. Teenage pregnancies and spread of sexually transmitted infections has also been attributed to drug abuse.
“Indulgence in drugs and substances is also feared to trigger premature and careless sexual activities among local secondary school students and primary school learners,” Kamora said.
Subcounty police commander Edward Ndirangu said the open forum was timely since many youths are affected by drug abuse. “Peddlers of these illicit drugs and substances keep changing tactics to avoid arrest but I assure we will not accord these crooks space to carry out their underhand deals” he said.
Each club consists of 32 members who are picked along diversity and gender lines and are expected to give momentum to the anti-drug and substance abuse campaign programs in learning institutions.
Nacada county representative Fredrick Ochieng called for the establishment of a rehabilitation centre in the county. He said the facility will assure victims of good care and medication
“Those who have undergone rehabilitation are at a risk of sliding back because they are not accessing good medication at local public health facilities,” Ochieng said.
He said he has been forced to raise money from well-wishers to buy monthly prescriptions for two recovering addicts. During the event, inmates from the Marsabit GK prison depot expressed their regrets in peddling drugs. They said the involvement cost them their freedom and disrupted their lives.
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