Pubdate: Mon, 19 Jan 2004
Source: East African Standard, The (Kenya)
Copyright: 2004 The East African Standard
Contact:  http://www.eastandard.net/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/1743
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CREATING ZOMBIES IN HIGH SCHOOLS

Nairobi

In two weeks time, a new set of students-selected after passing last year's
Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) - will join high school.

Already parents are in a frenzy looking for school fees after receiving
admission letters that will see their children move a step closer to
university education - and a bright future!

Yet, even amidst all that excitement and anticipation there is a clear sense
of concern among a cross section of parents about the real future of their
children away from home. High school as we reveal today can be a dangerous
hunting ground for drug traffickers. Consequently, Instead of a bright
future - and this is the concern of parents - some students have been turned
into zombies - quite literally.

Our investigations have established that the sale and abuse of hard drugs is
thriving in high schools right under the noses of both school and government
authorities. Countrywide investigations show that high school students,
teachers, school neighbourhoods, provincial administrators and even police
are engaged in overt and covert drug business that is destroying the lives
of many youth. The drug peddlers are apparently targeting to capture their
victims while still at a very tender age in the understanding that they are
the easiest to get hooked.

Last week, school teachers admitted not only to watching helplessly as
students waste their lives away but also to being part of the drug peddling
syndicate-in the search for an extra penny. On the other hand, police
officers either sell or collect protection fee from drug peddlers and
addicts. It's a problem that thrives mostly in urban based schools, although
upcountry schools have equally been hit by alcohol, cigarette and marijuana
abuse.

"They are taking the stuff and other hard drugs openly in some of Nairobi
schools. Some students have become so bold that they take drugs in
classrooms in full view of their teachers' or even peddle bhang openly
within the school compound," says a former teacher of one of the Nairobi
based schools on condition of anonymity.

The schools in Nairobi's Eastlands area have been branded the playground for
drug peddlers, though not even the highly regarded City Council Schools in
the up-market Westlands region seem to have been spared. One of the City
Council primary schools well known for its sterling performance in national
exams and discipline is now badly hit by the drug menace. Besides, it is now
common knowledge that the management of four famous public secondary schools
in the Eastlands area are themselves resigned to watching from the sidelines
as the situation runs out of hand. And this is without any serious reference
to the open drug business and abuse that takes place within the University
of Nairobi's main campus and the adjacent bamboo thickets of Chiromo campus.

On the other hand, both students and teachers in Nakuru based schools take
and sell bhang at a commission of Sh2 per roll, while in Kisumu schools
within the town centre bhang and liquor consumption among students thrive.
The shops at the Kisumu bus stop and schools within the town center are the
best-known dens for drug trafficking and abuse, a fact that is also being
blamed for the many cases of indiscipline in the schools. But the business
would not be booming were it not for the assistance of the petty traders
like shoe shiners and vendors, cobblers, maize roasters and matatu touts
whopeddle the drugs.

In Mombasa the vice is so common that some parents have even come to believe
that it is either legal or morally acceptable. To them, trading in hard
drugs is just an ordinary business. The so-called drug parlours are a common
feature of the secondary and primary schools in Majengo, Mwembe Tayari and
King'orani and now parents accuse some police officers, chiefs, assistants
chiefs and even District Officers of being accomplices in the wicked drug
business. "We have reported these people severally to police, but even
though they do get arrested, they are normally released the following day.
They come back only to continue with the business," says a resident of
King'orani. In Eldoret, police arrested a woman last week at Huruma estate
who confessed that most of her clients are school children.

The experience in Nakuru was perhaps the most intriguing. Our investigative
team discretely trailed a suspected drug dealer who colluded with students
to sell drugs inside schools. The dealer, riding interchangeably on an
expensive mountain bicycle and an equally expensive car, supplies packets of
drugs in small bags over the fence to student accomplices in various
schools, which they sell on commission. The students either take short
breaks or simply hide in toilets or take a walk in open fields to partake of
the substances. One particular dealer is known to supply various types of
hard drugs to at least four public secondary schools and three private ones.

In the process, he has also sucked some students into the business-one of
whom is well known by his nickname, Pablo, in Bondeni estate. In their
characteristic style, Pablo bribes both security officers and teachers to
able to sneak out of the school compound to carry out his drug business. He
also runs a drug den in the estate from where students from other schools
collect their share at comparatively cheaper prices of Sh 6-in comparison
with Sh 10 when they are bought from school. And contrary to common belief,
the drug business thrives both in boys' and girls' schools. The girls,
however, seem to rely heavily on pocket money from parents-and they are
normally better financed-to purchase the substances. 
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