Women lobbies vow to fight illicit brews in Mt Kenya
What you need to know:
- Women lobby groups in Mt Kenya region led by Maendeleo ya Wanawake, over the weekend promised to work with security agencies in the war against narcotics and illicit brews.
- Regional County Commissioner Wilfred Nyagwanga said security agents in the county had been directed to act viciously against illicit brews and narcotics cartels
Women lobby groups in Mt Kenya region led by Maendeleo ya Wanawake, over the weekend promised to work with security agencies in the war against narcotics and illicit brews.
Through the Central region chairperson Lucy Nyambura, the women termed the war as "good for family units."
Federation for African Women Educationists led by Organising Secretary Cecilia Gitu, supported the move too.
Murang'a Girl Child Protection Action Group Chair Patricia Wairimu and Young Christian Women Initiative Secretary Njeri Mwangi also agreed to support in the war that had wasted away many youths in the region.
In a joint statement, they said the future of family units and that of the nation stands compromised if blatant abuse of alcohol and narcotics is not addressed as a matter of regional tragedy.
This came as regional commissioner Wilfred Nyagwanga warned chiefs and their assistants against taking bribes to protect illicit brews and narcotics dealers.
Speaking at Gakoigo Showground in Murang’a County during a security meeting, he said the vice that has led to the death of many local youths was being fuelled "by the greedy inclinations of some of our officers who instead of working hard to crush the dealers, were edging closer them to dine and wine together."
Security agents
Mr Nyagwanga said security agents in the county had been directed to act viciously against illicit brews and narcotics cartels, adding that "rampant cases of indiscipline in our schools is related to these two illegal sectors."
He said all counties in the region are affected by the menace, promising that security actors found abetting the illegal networks will be axed.
"We are not ready to work with people who are not adding value to our mandate as a security sector. You cannot be what we are fighting and expect to be tolerated. We will kick you out so that you can join the outlaws and we confront you from that destiny,” he said.
The administrator said alcohol and drug abuse had become a challenge to both genders, and contributed to grassroots poverty due to lowered productive lives, diseases and deaths.
He noted that great brains that could serve the country in fixing many of its challenges were getting wasted in alcoholism and drug abuse, saying the government would not sit by and watch a few unscrupulous business mind-sets get rich by killing others with "horrible lifestyles."
