NAIROBI, June 11 – Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has ordered stern action to be taken against illicit drug traffickers and says foreigners suspected to have engaged in the crime should be deported from the country.
President Kenyatta, who also emphasised that those who sell alcohol and drugs to the youth must be apprehended and punished, on Monday urged agencies responsible for fighting substance abuse to use all resources at their disposal to reduce the drug menace in the country before asking for more budgetary provisions.
“Let us ask ourselves what we are doing with the resources that we have. Let us not wait for conferences to talk about nice things when we cannot account for the resources at our disposal,” he said when opening the 2nd National Conference on Alcohol and Drug Abuse at the Moi International Sports Centre here.
President Kenyatta acknowledged the measures being taken by Nairobi County Governor, Dr. Evan Kidero, to close illicit brewing dens and asked other counties to follow suit.
Decrying the increasing cases of drug abuse among the youth, he called for concerted efforts to stamp out the vice and emphasised that the war on drugs was a collective effort which required the active participation of all.
“Indeed, looking at our society, it is clear that the use of alcohol and other substances is a deeply-rooted practice that would take more than NACADA (National Authority for Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse) to control,” President Kenyatta said.
He particularly directed the National Police Service to tighten law enforcement measures to deal with cross-border illicit drug trafficking.
The law on access to alcohol should also be strictly enforced to stamp out illicit brews in towns and villages, and those encouraging underage drinking should be severely dealt with.
– BERNAMA
