By Lilian Lelei / GPS
Illegal cross border drug trafficking has been singled out as root cause of increased drug and substance abuse among youth in Kajiado County.
Porous nature of the border and sloppy law enforcement has enabled unscrupulous businessmen to gain access to illegal drugs and alcoholic beverages that make their way intao the country.
Speaking at Masai Technical Training Institute, the National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) CEO Victor Okioma said youth have been rendered vulnerable due to reckless alcoholism and drug abuse which continue to make them unproductive in their formative years.
Okioma said NACADA is fighting rampant drug abuse cases nationally in a drug eradication campaign dubbed “NACADA Mashinani” targeting youths in rural areas where the vice has been documented to be rife.
Speaking at the same function, the county executive committee member in charge of Youth and Education, Alvin Kimani said the County Government had set aside Sh100 million for youth empowerment initiatives through skills based trainings and it would be unfortunate if the programme fails due to low uptake as youth get lost in drug abuse.
“I am glad that the national government represented here by the County Commissioner has committed to fight cross border drug trafficking. This is a step in the right direction,” he said.
He regretted the fact that the youth compose 60 per cent of the population in Kajiado yet their productivity cannot be felt in development focused projects initiated by the County Government.
Margaret Moitallel, NACADA, Board Member appealed to the youth to shun bad company which leads them into substance abuse and alcoholism.
“It is regrettable that even in a small village like where I come from, bars outnumber churches and the youth have an easy access to drugs and alcohol,” she noted.
NACADA was in Kajiado to meet stakeholders to campaign against drug abuse.