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"speaker_name": "Mr. Khamasi",
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"content": "Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, for giving me a chance to contribute on this very important Motion, which has been ably presented by hon. Abdalla. I think that it is a very important subject in this country and which requires a lot of attention. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I agree with the Mover that we need to have a proper legal framework to deal with drug abuse in this country, but I have a problem. I believe that in the present legal framework, there are enough instruments to be used to deal with drug abuse. Are we using what is available in our law books to deal with this matter? Are the anti-narcotic enforcers doing what they are supposed to do so that they can deal with this matter effectively? It is one thing to introduce a Bill to this House because it will have the support of all the hon. Members and it will go through, as usual. But then, to what extent will it be implemented? This is where the problem is. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, the question of narcotics in this country is not a matter that is new. If you asked the law enforcers, particularly the authorities who have been given the mandate to look after drug abuse, they know what goes on in every place in this country, particularly in urban areas like Nairobi. They know where our youth go to smoke bhang. They know the dens. They know where chang'aa and kumi-kumi are sold. When the police arrest people having substances like heroin, by the end of the day what is produced in court as exhibits is a mere, tiny fraction of what was impounded. Where does the rest go? I am wary that as much as we want law introduced in this country, do we have the capacity and the will to implement it? Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, I know for sure that there are some areas in this City where even if you leave this House now and go there, you will find a huge number of youths sitting and consuming these drugs. It is very unfortunate that as much as we may put law into place, the question of implementation remains our biggest problem. Recently, my nephew of school going age, for one reason or the other, had problems. He went to a chemist and came back and told me that he had been sold a few tablets to keep him sleeping. This was done across the counter without any prescription. This is terrible abuse. Once people get hooked to such drugs, it is an abuse. I do not think we have the muscle to control chemists against supplying dangerous drugs like the ones which my nephew was sold over the counter. A law should be put in place to ensure that we have strong regimes in our schools. It is our future generation that will go to waste. Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir, what is the Government doing against industries that are processing illicit spirits that are very harmful to our people? They process these spirits in very huge amounts. It has been proved beyond any reasonable doubt that these spirits are dangerous. In my view, these are dangerous drugs. They are being processed in the open, in the full knowledge of the Government and very little has been done. It is, therefore, necessary for us to use the already existing law to ensure that the abuses that are going on are regulated, checked and something is done about them. It is our schools and colleges which have taken the brunt of the use or abuse of drugs. Therefore, the faster we move to deal with these issues, the better. I want to encourage the Mover of this Motion and tell him that as soon as this Motion is passed in this House, he should move very first to bring this Bill to the House. I know the April 11, 2007 PARLIAMENTARY DEBATES 537 Parliamentary Service Commission (PSC) is hiring a good number of lawyers who can be able to support and help the hon. Members in drafting Bills. Therefore, this is a matter that should be looked into very critically. The Mover can contact that particular department to make sure that she gets the right legal advice and assistance, so that the proposed Bill can be brought to this House to be passed into an Act of Parliament. Thank you, Mr. Temporary Deputy Speaker, Sir."
}