Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki has ordered police to arrest owners of liquor shops around schools.
Speaking during prize-giving day and fundraiser at St Germaine Gatanga Girls High School in Gatanga Constituency, Murang’a County, Kindiki said that the government will ensure no one hoodwinks school-going boys and girls into drugs and alcohol.
“All National Government Administration officers must remain vigilant and ensure that no one hoodwinks our boys and girls in schools into drugs and alcohol. The Government will use all its power and might to protect our children from such criminals who want to destroy a generation. This includes traders luring children into drugs and alcohol by establishing liquor shops near schools,” Kindiki stated.
Kindiki also called on parents to guard their children to ensure they do not fall into drug and substance abuse.
“As parents, teachers, and leaders, we have a duty and responsibility to help our children be the best and take over from us in the future,” he added.
According to the National Survey on the Status of Drugs and Substances Abuse among Secondary School Students in Kenya conducted by NACADA in 2016, most schools are no longer drug-free environments.
Data on lifetime or ever use of drugs and substances of abuse showed that 23.4% (508,132) of secondary school students have ever used alcohol, 17.0% (369,155) have ever used Khart/miraa, 16.1% (349,613) have ever used prescription drugs, 14.3% (314,869) have ever used tobacco, 7.5% (162,863) have ever used bhang/cannabis, 2.3% (49,945) have ever used inhalants like glue, thinner and petrol, 1.2% (26,058) have ever used heroin and 1.1% (23,887) have ever used cocaine.
Data on the status of drugs and substance abuse among primary school pupils conducted by NACADA in 2018 shows that 20.2% of primary school pupils have ever used at least one drug or substance of abuse in their lifetime.
10.4% have ever used prescription drugs, 7.2% have ever used alcohol; 6.0% have ever used tobacco: 3.7% have ever used miraa/muguka and 1.2% have ever used bhang/cannabis.
Lifetime use of inhalants. heroin and cocaine among primary school pupils is less than 1%.
