Residents of Wangu in Murang’a County participated in a creative exercise where they named alleged drug dealers through a secret ballot on Friday, May 5.
Long queues were seen at Koimbi Grounds, where residents took pen to paper and wrote down the names of drug dealers they were familiar with. Some boxes were for illicit alcohol sellers, while others were for bhang peddlers.
“The good thing is that you have given me all the information needed. I have taken all the names provided.
“You have participated in this exercise voluntarily. As a security agency, it is our responsibility to investigate the accused (drug selling) to the end,” noted Murang’a County police commander, David Kaingi.
The event occurred after residents unabatingly complained about drug dealers causing mayhem in their community.
Through the secret ballot, the locals named and shamed the culprits without fear of being persecuted by the criminals.
Stanley Kamau, one of the event organisers, stated that he would follow up on the matter to ensure the police ultimately arrested the suspects.
“Any of these names that have been put, I will follow it up to the last minute,” Kamau stated.
The government embarked on an exercise to curb the alcohol menace that has plagued the Mt Kenya region for decades.
On April 14, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua launched an anti-drug campaign in Nyeri County.
Gachagua later assured that the government would aid alcohol addicts in rehabilitation, promising free National Health Insurance Cover (NHIF) as an incentive.
Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki stated that the three most dangerous threats facing his ministry were terrorism, cattle rustling, and alcohol and substance abuse, in that order.
“Among the three national security threats; it’s number one terrorism … the second threat is the threat of cattle rustling that affects approximately nine counties … the third threat is the trade, use, and abuse of illicit alcohol as well as psychotropic substances and drugs,” noted the CS.
On Friday, May 5, he added that bhang in the Central Kenya region was retailing at Ksh400, up from Ksh100, as a result of the government clampdown.
