Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen convened a high-level multi-agency meeting to intensify the government’s fight against illicit alcohol and drug trafficking, following a directive issued by President William Ruto in his New Year Address.
Speaking after the meeting on Tuesday, Murkomen said the prevalence of illicit brews and narcotics had reached “alarming levels,” posing a serious threat to public health, security and the country’s future.
He noted that the Ministry of Interior had been tasked with urgently scaling up interventions to curb the growing menace.
As part of the renewed strategy, the government resolved to immediately strengthen the Anti-Narcotics Unit through the deployment of additional officers, with plans to progressively increase staffing to the required capacity by the end of the year.
A multi-agency team was also established and directed to commence work immediately to coordinate a nationwide crackdown on the distribution of illicit ethanol and drugs.
The operation will include the seizure of assets and property acquired through proceeds of drug trafficking and illicit alcohol trade, in line with the law.
Murkomen further announced enhanced policing along ungazetted border points and major transit routes to disrupt supply chains used by traffickers.
He added that the government will work closely with county governments to strengthen rehabilitation and recovery programmes for individuals affected by drug and substance abuse.
The meeting brought together senior officials from key security and regulatory institutions, including Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja, Chief of Strategy Execution in the Office of the President Adan Mohamed, Deputy Inspectors General Eliud Lagat of the Kenya Police Service and Gilbert Masengeli of the Administration Police Service; Director of Criminal Investigations Mohamed Amin, Principal Administrative Secretary Beverly Opwora, Secretary for Internal Security Thomas Saka, Kenya Bureau of Standards CEO Dr. Esther Ngari, NACADA CEO Dr. Anthony Omerikwa and Assets Recovery Agency Director-General Mark Ogonji.
The Interior Ministry said the multi-agency approach is aimed at delivering a coordinated and sustained response to dismantle networks involved in illicit alcohol and drug trafficking across the country.
Murkomen had Saturday warned individuals involved in the distribution of illicit drugs and adulterated ethanol that their days are numbered.
“This is the year we are liberating our youth from the yoke of drug and substance abuse. I am telling the major distributors of drugs and adulterated ethanol that your days are over,” Murkomen said.
Murkomen further called on county governments to establish at least one rehabilitation centre in every county to support the recovery and reintegration of individuals affected by alcohol and drug abuse.
Plans are under way for the establishment of a strengthened Anti-Narcotics Unit(ANU) within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), with capabilities comparable to the elite Anti-Terrorism Police Unit.
The unit’s personnel will be expanded from 200 to 700 officers and equipped with modern surveillance, intelligence, forensic, and financial investigation tools to target high-level drug traffickers and illicit alcohol networks, Ruto said.
Ruto also emphasised that asset tracing, seizure, and forfeiture would feature prominently in narcotics and illicit alcohol investigations, with recovered assets redirected toward rehabilitation, prevention, and treatment programmes.
Ruto warned that any government official or security officer found colluding with traffickers would be prosecuted and dismissed from service.
Ruto, in his New Year address delivered from Eldoret State Lodge on December 31, declared alcohol and drug abuse a national emergency that threatens public health, national security, productivity, and the social fabric of the country.
He noted alarming statistics showing that one in six Kenyans aged 15-65 uses at least one substance of abuse, with over 4.7 million people affected, and that initiation into harmful use often begins in the teenage years.
“This crisis demands decisive national action,” Ruto said, unveiling a comprehensive government strategy to confront the menace through enforcement, prevention, and multi-agency cooperation.
Authorities have in the past three months mounted operations targeting drugs and alcohol across the country. Several suspects were arrested and arraigned while tones of drugs as well as alcohol were destroyed.
Email your news TIPS to Editor@Kahawatungu.com — this is our only official communication channel
