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{
    "id": 1317546,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1317546/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 386,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Prof. Kithure Kindiki",
    "speaker_title": "The Cabinet Secretary for Interior and National Administration",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1046,
        "legal_name": "Kithure Kindiki",
        "slug": "kithure-kindiki"
    },
    "content": " Hon. Speaker, in regard to the Question by the Member for Kitutu Chache South, I respond as follows. The Government, through the Ministry of Interior and National Administration, and specifically through NACADA, is taking measures to address drug addiction and the abuse of substances including illicit alcohol and psychotropic substances. This morning, I was in Nyeri where we opened a NACADA-accredited rehabilitation centre set up by the Ministry of Interior and National Administration in conjunction with the County Government of Nyeri. We have several other rehabilitation centres: one in Miritini and another in Elgeyo Marakwet. We are taking drug abuse as a major national security threat. We believe that drug abuse and trained consumption of drugs and psychotropic substances is among the top five security threats facing this country. This ranks together with terrorism, banditry, violent resolution of disputes and climate change. Therefore, we are making arrangements to fight the menace on two fronts. One, we want to suppress the demand by rehabilitating and treating those who are already abusing these substances. We are going to mobilise enough resources for NACADA and other partners to improve our facilities for treatment and rehabilitation. The second strategy is to suppress the supply. We plan to do this by making it very difficult for manufacturers of alcoholic drinks until we are satisfied... We will also introduce very stringent licensing procedures because we have all manner of manufacturers of alcoholic drinks who are manufacturing and selling unhealthy concoctions. This has caused addiction and health problems across the country. We will review all the existing licences for manufacturers of second-generation alcoholic drinks and ask them to apply afresh. They will have to meet strict licensing requirements. Right now, we have declined 23 applications for licenses for second-generation manufacturers. Third, we are introducing new laws. Soon we will bring a law here to strengthen NACADA. Now NACADA is more wired towards the suppression of demand for alcohol and drugs. We now want to give NACADA teeth to suppress the supply of drugs and alcoholic substances that are detrimental to public health. We are also investing in school programmes to sensitise the school-going children, university students and young people. We want a greater, more resourced, more empowered and more capacitated NACADA to partner with other stakeholders in that respect. I agree that we have a problem with the abuse of drugs. We will also target families because we believe families are essential partners in fighting this menace. We will also use our rich network of national Government administration officers spread across the country. As you are aware, this Government decided that the national Government administration officers will be used to mobilise communities and members of the public to support national objectives and not to engage in other auxiliary matters like politics as has been the case before. Things like the national tree planting objectives, registration of farmers, distribution of fertiliser and ensuring that our children and families are free from drugs and alcohol have been left to them. This is work in progress. I want to summarise by saying that we view the trade, use and consumption of drugs, illicit alcohol and psychotropic substances as an existential threat to our country’s future. It is a national security problem. We are going out of our way to resource our The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}