Betting in Kenya has over time evolved from just being a hobby or leisure activity to becoming an income earning activity, especially to the millions of unemployed youth.
Despite the State trying to regulate the multi-billion industry in Kenya, the industry keeps exponentially growing.
In the 1980s, former President Daniel Moi struggled to deal with Members of Parliament who had were addicted to the 'virus' that was rapidly spreading to government offices, prompting an executive order to counter it.
The Head of State then is reported to have 'heard enough of it' and ordered an immediate ban on public servants, MPs and other leaders from setting foot in casinos to gamble.
[caption caption="File image of Former President Daniel arap Moi"]
[/caption]
"No good thing can be expected from leaders and other people who go gambling at the casinos. Leaders must keep the lead and they cannot do this by going to casinos,” Moi exclaimed.
President Moi's drastic move was aimed at saving families from potential ruins caused by the 'virus.'
The president had then observed that after a bad day at the casinos, the leaders lashed out their frustrations on their families.
"They go home and start messing their families as a cover-up.
"We want decent families, free from all social evils such as gambling,” he was quoted exclaiming in one of the local dailies.
According to Moi, politicians were to focus on the problems facing wananchi instead of spending all their time in the casino.
"We want leaders to concentrate their efforts in listening to and understanding the problems of wananchi with a view to solving them. They cannot do this if they spend most of their time in casinos," he affirmed.
Moi did not believe that one could earn a decent living from gambling.
The Standard recorded him noting: "I want people who earn a genuine living and not gamblers. Gamblers are idlers.”
If the former President would still be ruling today, he would be puzzled by the number of young smartly dressed men who troop into Nairobi's betting shops every morning.
[caption caption="File image of police confiscating gambling machines"]
[/caption]
