The government is set to launch a nationwide crackdown on shisha, Health Principal Secretary Mary Muthoni has announced.
The crackdown will also target products that are not properly labelled, particularly concerning the effects they have on the user.
According to PS Muthoni, the Ministry of Health is concerned about the sale and consumption of these products by not only the primary consumers but also secondary consumers, putting both groups at risk.
The government in 2017 imposed a comprehensive ban on shisha, prohibiting its use, importation, manufacture, sale, promotion, and distribution. The ban was challenged in court, and the High Court determined the ban to be unconstitutional.
However, the government remains bullish and is set to launch a crackdown that could see many businesses impacted.
Section 163 of the Public Health Act enacted in 2017 stipulates that offenders may face a fine not exceeding fifty thousand shillings, imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months, or both.
Despite this, shisha consumption has persisted in various establishments across the country, which has worried the Ministry of Health.
Speaking in Murang’a during a Community Health Promoters (CHPs) sensitisation and training workshop at the Mahuti Catholic Church on Friday, the PS said there was a lurking danger in the tobacco product.
According to the PS, the government is in the final stages of setting up a multi-agency team, comprising key stakeholders in health and security. The team will be part of a nationwide campaign to stop the illicit trade.
The PS did not reveal when the crackdown will start. However, she noted that it would start at any time.
In March 2024, the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, conducted a series of raids targeting venues suspected of engaging in the shisha trade.
Notably, a raid on a popular restaurant in Nairobi's Kilimani area led to the arrest of four individuals, including the manager, sellers, and a storekeeper.
Authorities seized 46 shisha bongs, various flavoured tobacco products, charcoal pipes, and inventory records during this operation.
