Pubdate: Thu, 04 Mar 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

3,000 TRAFFICKERS ARRESTED LAST YEAR

Nairobi

Police arrested 3,299 suspected drug traffickers last year.

They also seized 8,327 kgs of cannabis sativa (bhang), National Security 
minister Chris Murungaru said yesterday.

The minister said the Government was taking deliberate action to discourage 
drug abuse among the youth.

The remarks were contained in a speech read by Assistant minister Kivutha 
Kibwana during the launch of the 2003 United Nations Annual Report of the 
International Narcotics Control Board in Nairobi.

Murungaru said the Government was now increasingly getting communities 
involved at the micro-level in its fight against illicit drugs trade and 
other crimes.

"Unfortunately, some firms have conspired against the unsuspecting youth in 
and out of learning institutions to promote smoking and drinking of spirits 
in low-priced sachets," lamented Murungaru.

The minister also noted that young people are being targeted by drug barons 
due to their peer pressure and the absence of guardians who shun their 
responsibilities to the youth in the critical moment of their life.

"We are witnessing an increasing number of our able-bodied young citizens 
who are expected to be either contributing to the country's socio-economic 
growth and productivity or planning for their future having their lives 
destroyed by illicit drugs," said Murungaru.

The minister cited glue sniffing by children in urban centres, the 
perceived insecurity in city parks and streets resulting from the menace of 
the intoxicated youth, money laundering, corruption and terrorism as being 
some of the activities related to narcotics and psychotropic substances.

Murungaru, himself a pharmacist, said there was a close link between drugs 
and the upsurge of crime, domestic violence, rape, poor health and unrest 
in learning institutions.

The minister said past incidents of unrest, mostly masterminded by students 
under the influence of drugs had led to destruction of school property and 
deaths.

"The challenge is now on the part of parents, teachers, religious leaders 
and the wider society to respond to the drug abuse problem," he said.

The minister said Kenya had continued to be a major transit point for the 
trafficking of heroin, cocaine and other drugs due to its strategic 
geographical location and good international communication network.

Murungaru regretted that although the Cabinet approved a report by an 
Inter-ministerial Drug Co-ordinating Committee in April 2001, the document 
was yet to get the necessary legislation.

He promised that the Government would operationalise the document as soon 
as it got Parliamentary approval to enhance the fight against drug 
trafficking and abuse.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart