Hit drug barons hard to secure Kenyan youth future

President Uhuru Kenyatta’s order to crack down on drug barons and traffickers comes at a time drug and substance abuse has devastated many families.

The problem is more pronounced in urban areas where thousands of youths are addicted to hard drugs such as bhang and heroin.

The sharing of syringes has also been blamed on the spread of HIV and Aids among drug users. Many families have spent much of their savings trying to rehabilitate their children addicted to drugs. Many promising young men and women have had their lives shattered by substance abuse.

We, therefore, laud the President’s order and urge all Kenyans to join hands in exposing the merchants of death. The drug barons and traffickers must be made to pay dearly by destroying their tools of trade, including the ships. Their ill-gotten wealth should also be seized and bank accounts frozen.

Security agencies, including the intelligence service, should step up their vigilance to ensure no drugs enter the country. They must not accept to be bribed by the drug barons, who dangle huge amounts of money to continue their evil ways. There are reports that some drug barons have found their way into high positions in both public and private businesses. These wayward individuals should be punished.

Countries that have succeeded in curbing drug trafficking have had to make huge sacrifices by exposing powerful individuals dabbling in drugs. Kenya should make a bold move and denounce the high and mighty found guilty of peddling drugs and destroying the future of our youth.