Students arrive for the 96th Kenya Music Festival at Moi Girls’ High School in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County on August 03, 2024.
As thousands of students and teachers converged on Moi Girls High School in Eldoret for song and dance during the Kenya National Music Festivals, drug peddlers found a lucrative avenue for their illicit trade.
The annual event, one of the largest of its kind in the country and the region attracted participants from early childhood education centres, primary schools, secondary schools, teacher training colleges, vocational institutions, and universities.
An estimated 130,000 participants took part in the 96th annual event that featured various categories of performance and Moi Girls provided an ideal venue due to its closeness to Eldoret town as it eyes city status.
Notwithstanding the admirable performance of the participants, the venue also provided the perfect opportunity for drug peddlers to make a kill from the otherwise illegitimate business.
While others freely mingled with the participants play-acting to sell goodies, police say others colluded with food vendors, who set up businesses around the venue to hawk the drugs, mainly cannabis sativa (bhang).
Police acting on a tip-off from the public managed to arrest some of the suspects, who have been arraigned before an Eldoret court to face charges of peddling drugs to students.
Three of the suspects were arrested and charged with having narcotic drugs contrary to section 3(1) of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance Control Act of 1994.
According to police, the suspects were transporting the drugs using school bags, making it hard for security officers to identify them.
The suspects appeared before Eldoret Chief Magistrate Dennis Mikoyan on Monday, August 12 to face charges, with two of them pleading guilty to the charges
John Saulo, 24, was charged with having narcotic drugs at Moi Girls High School during the music festivals.
The prosecution told the court that on August 10, Mr Saulo was found in illegal possession of seven rolls of bhang with a street value of Sh140.
He pleaded guilty to the charge and told the court that he was not selling the drugs, but was meant for his consumption.
“Police indeed arrested me while in possession of the seven rolls of bhang, but I was not selling to students, it was for my consumption,” he told the court. The court fined him Sh20,000 or imprisonment of six months.
Robert Alung’ata faced similar charges of having 10 rolls of Cannabis Sativa valued at Sh200, which was not in medical preparation form.
He was arrested while heading to the festival venue. He pleaded guilty and was fined Sh20,000 or imprisonment for six months.
“After your plea of guilty, this court has sentenced you to serve a jail term of six months with an alternative fine of Sh20,000. You have the right of appeal for the next 14 days,” ruled the Magistrate.
Andrew Wasike alias Babji was allegedly found in possession of 79 rolls of bhang with a street value of Sh1,550.
The suspect denied the charge and was released on a bond of Sh100,000 with an alternative cash bail of Sh50,000.The matter will be mentioned on August 26.
Security has since been intensified at the venue to crack down on the drug peddlers as the event comes to an end ahead of the gala event, featuring the festival’s best items.
The best performers in various categories will on Friday perform for President William Ruto during the state concert in Eldoret.
