By James Wakahiu
There is widespread peddling and consumption of heroin and cocaine in the vast and populous Witeithie Estate in Juja Sub-county of Kiambu County, with school children being the users of these drugs, NACADA has revealed.
Speaking during a security and development meeting held at Witeithie market by Juja Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Charles Muriithi, NACADA central region manager Amos Warui said drug peddlers had found a lucrative market in Witeithie due to its proximity to Nairobi city.
He said since the estate was sandwiched between Juja and Thika, which have become education hubs, most local university and college students reside in the estate.
“Now drug peddlers are targeting these youth to make a quick buck at the expense of our future generation,” said Warui, who said action must be taken immediately to reverse the trend.
He blamed Kiambu County Government for recklessly issuing liquor licences, ostensibly to collect taxes and revenue at the expense of the lives of Kenyans.
“These days youth, especially college and university students, are endangering their lives by using a single injection to inject themselves with these hard drugs, thereby spreading HIV and Hepatitis B among themselves,” he said.
He urged parents to seriously monitor their children before they fall prey to these dangerous pastimes.
Andrew Githui, also from NACADA, said smoking is costing the world 8 million lives per year and should be avoided at all cost. He said Miraa was also a drug which caused impotence in users.
These sentiments were echoed by the DCC, who reacted swiftly to residents’ outcry over the sale and consumption of alcohol and drugs in the area by ordering a punitive crackdown on these sellers.
He said all liquor outlets flouting rules must be closed immediately. He also instructed area Senior Chief Muiruri Muchui to comb River Ndarugu and wipe out the mushrooming chang’aa dens.
Prior to this meeting, residents and leaders led by area Jubilee Ward aspirant Edith Wakio had complained that brews and drugs were ruining youth in the area.
Wakio said wine and spirit outlets were opening at 5 AM and closing at midnight. She said men had abdicated their household responsibilities to hang around these joints, soliciting for handouts so that they could purchase the cheap liquor that endangered their lives.
“We want to know why the county government of Kiambu has decided to allow these illegal outlets to ruin the society. These joints are now almost in every plot in the Estate,” the aspirant said.
She was supported by other aspirants and the local community, including the church and the business community. During the meeting, no county official was present.
Former MCA Peter Muiruri said majority of youths in the area have refused to work because they had fallen prey to this menace.
“Many youths have lost their lives after engaging in alcohol and drug abuse,” he said.
Business man Jacob Maina said illegal liquor outlets were the ones selling illicit brews and drugs. He decried the pathetic road networks, uncollected refuse, water shortage, inadequate schools and insecurity.
The chairman of Bars Owners Association in the area George Gitau said unlicenced liquor outlets should be closed, saying their lawful investments were being destroyed.
In a rejoinder and speaking on condition of anonymity, Kiambu County officials said they had been instructed to relax the fight against liquor until after elections.
