The campaign against alcohol and drug abuse was intensified during a meeting of more than 7,000 high school students at the Thika High School Grounds on Sunday Afternoon.
As the students met for the Kiambu Annual Prayer Rally, the messaging was heavily integrated with advocacy against psychoactive and addictive substances.
The NACADA 2022 Survey on the Status of Drugs and Substance Use in Kenya revealed that Central Kenya, where Kiambu is located, had the highest prevalence of portable spirits at 4.1%, and the highest use of tobacco at 11.9%. The survey also indicated that one in every 11 youths aged between 15-24 years was using at least one drug or substance of abuse, the age of high school students in Kenya.
The spouse of the Deputy President Pastor Dorcas Rigathi, who was the Chief Guest, narrated about her visits to the drug dens of Mombasa, and rehabilitation centres across the country in great detail to inform the students about the dangers of alcohol and drugs.
She told of those in the drug dens of Shimanzi, Mombasa County, who had injected every part of their body and were now pushing drugs through their chest area.
“Young men, listen to me. I visited your brothers in the drug dens of Shimanzi in Mombasa, and they have injected themselves with drugs everywhere, and they are now injecting themselves through the chest, waiting to die,” said Pastor Dorcas.
She painted the sorry state of the boys and men in the country, saying, “You will find them in the drug dens, in prison with a majority because of defilement cases, others are in hospital wards because of broken limbs from accidents, and also HIV/AIDs, and others have died and are in the mortuary,” she said.
“If you are 25 years old, and imprisoned for 50 years, you will be released at the age of a grandfather or even die in prison,” Pastor Dorcas warned the students. She urged the students to focus on their studies and avoid negative peer pressure.
She, however, told the students that the Kenya Kwanza Government had every intention, and had showed goodwill to fight alcoholism and drug addictions in the country, but urged the students to say no to the destructive substances and focus on their education.
Different counties are working on legislation to regulate the consumption of alcohol in their juridistinction, in addition to the directives given by the Cabinet Secretary Interior Prof Kithure Kindiki during a meeting convened by Deputy President Rigathi at the Karen Residence days ago.
The Regional Director Education, Sabina Aroni, present during the rally commended the government efforts to fight the consumption of illicit brews and drugs.
“Your fight against alcohol and drug abuse has had a big impact. There are two schools where we struggled with high incidences of alcohol and drug abuse, but they have gone down significantly. When the students turn away from this destructive behavior, then generations will be safe,” she said.
The move to target schools is strategic since the students are young and have not experimented with the addictive substances.
KSCF Kiambu County Chair Richard Mureithi said the formation of clubs and societies in schools was instrumental in the growth and development of students, facilitating such rallies to impact the students.
Mureithi said the rally was the 5th County Annual Prayer Day that began in 2018, but was not held in the years 2021 and 2022 because of the Covid-19 pandemic.
