MOMBASA, Kenya, Jun 26 \u2013 Kenya has intensified its fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking, with senior government officials warning that the country is facing a growing national crisis driven by rising substance abuse among young people.<\/p>\n
The warning was issued during this year\u2019s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (IDADA) commemorations held at the Miritini Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre in Mombasa County under the theme: \u201cWorld Drug Problem: Persisting Issues, New Challenges, Innovative Responses.\u201d<\/p>\n
The event brought together government officials, anti-drug agencies, community leaders and rehabilitation advocates in a renewed call for collective action against drug and substance abuse.<\/p>\n
According to the latest survey by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), about 4.7 million Kenyans aged between 15 and 65 are currently using at least one drug or substance of abuse.<\/p>\n
The Coast region recorded the highest prevalence at 29.3 percent, with Mombasa County emerging as the most affected county at 34.4 percent.<\/p>\n
Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Raymond Omollo described the figures as alarming and called for urgent intervention.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese are not just statistics. They represent our children, our brothers and sisters, our colleagues, and our future workforce,\u201d Omollo said.<\/p>\n
\u201cBehind every number is a life that can either be lost to addiction or restored through timely intervention and support.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said the government would continue implementing a comprehensive strategy that combines law enforcement, prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and social reintegration.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhile enforcement remains critical, it is only one part of the solution. Sustainable success can only be achieved through a balanced and comprehensive approach,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The government\u2019s renewed crackdown follows the recent seizure of 1,024 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine valued at Sh8.2 billion in the Indian Ocean, one of the largest narcotics interceptions in the country\u2019s history.<\/p>\n
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said authorities would continue pursuing drug traffickers through enhanced intelligence gathering and inter-agency cooperation.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur message is clear. We will continue to strengthen intelligence gathering, enhance inter-agency cooperation, and pursue traffickers relentlessly wherever they operate,\u201d Murkomen said.<\/p>\n
NACADA Board Chairman Bishop Dr Stephen Mairori highlighted the agency\u2019s adoption of wastewater analysis technology to monitor drug consumption trends in near real-time.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf the drug problem is changing, our responses must change with it,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
The agency also used the event to promote youth participation in anti-drug campaigns through a national essay-writing competition targeting secondary school students.<\/p>\n
Omar Mohamed of Kongowea Secondary School in Mombasa was recognised for his essay on the role of parents and communities in protecting learners from drugs.<\/p>\n
Speakers at the event emphasized that government interventions alone would not be enough to address the crisis, urging parents, schools, religious institutions and the private sector to actively participate in prevention efforts.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery life saved from addiction strengthens our nation,\u201d Murkomen said.<\/p>\n
\u201cTogether, we can build a Kenya where our young people are healthy, productive, and empowered to contribute to national development.\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
MOMBASA, Kenya, Jun 26 \u2013 Kenya has intensified its fight against drug abuse and illicit trafficking, with senior government officials warning that the country is facing a growing national crisis driven by rising substance abuse among young people. The warning was issued during this year\u2019s International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking (IDADA) commemorations […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":0,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-144932","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","entry"],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/144932","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=144932"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/144932\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=144932"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=144932"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/chezaspin.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=144932"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}