Kenya: Interior Cabinet Secretary Joseph Nkaissery has put Chiefs and county commissioners on notice over cases of Alcohol and drug abuse in their locations.
The CS said the ministry will sack the administrators for failure to monitor and control the vice in their regions.
Nkaissery who was speaking on Sunday at the National Conference on Alcohol and Drug Abuse at the Bomas of Kenya, said it is the responsibility of county leaders to crack the whip on the menace.
The CS said the national government is an umbrella body following the establishment of county governments.
“Any chief whose area is reported to have cases of alcohol and drug abuse will be sacked since they are not working,” he said.
He said although the government is putting up strategies to address alcoholism and substance abuse the county leaders were interacting with the same at a more personal level.
“County governments should be on the forefront since these people reside in respective counties,” he said.
Nkaissery called on the elected leaders to establish drug abuse control initiatives in the regions saying no leader can be a leader to unproductive people.
“MPs and Mcas should come up with solutions to handle alcoholism and drug abuse in their regions since no one can lead drug addicts or alcoholics,” he said.
Chairman for National Authority for Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) John Mututho said they have already established branches in ten counties to help fight drugs from the grassroots.
“County governments need to be involved in supporting rehabilitation centres and conducting sensitization forums,” he said.
The two have also suggested the establishment of special courts that will be in charge of prosecuting cases related to drugs.
“Pakistan established the courts and have been able to tackle the menace, the judiciary needs to consider this recommendation,” Mututho said.
Nkaissery said the courts if established at the entry points will help in combating the vice.
“These special courts should be established at airports and borders and prosecute those found trafficking drugs in and out of the country,” he said.
