Singer Jaguar accuses NACADA for negligence in fighting drugs

Kenyan singer Charles Njagua Kanyi, popularly known as Jaguar, has hit out at the National Authority for Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) for neglecting its responsibilities at a Mombasa rehabilitation facility.

The singer who was in Mombasa accompanied by gospel artiste, Bahati, visited the rehabilitation centre and was shocked to find the facility abandoned with no doctors around to attend to the patients.

The infuriated Jaguar took to his official Instagram page to vent his disappointment.

He wrote: “We visited the NACADA supported rehab center in Mombasa only to find one addict; no doctors, no medicine, no blankets.”

Jaguar’s irritation was worsened by the fact that the facility allegedly charges the addicts dearly for its services which he says should be free.

“They are charging addicts Ksh 1,000 per day, an equivalent of Ksh 30, 000 per month for rehabilitation which is rather steep for addicts to afford.”

“Begs the question why we have rehab centers that can’t help accommodate the people they are meant to help,” said the Kigeugeu singer.

Jaguar’s gripe with NACADA did not end there. He also questioned its priorities.

“With over 2.6 million drug addicts in Kenya, NACADA officials are very busy holding costly boardroom talks while addicts receive no education and no medical support to get them out of this never ending drug scourge.”

He further vexed: “This is a big fight we are in against drugs. If we don’t save our youth, we will have very little to look forward to in the overall national development agenda.”

The affluent singer said the war on drugs is vast than his reach, and put his NACADA colleagues on the spotlight for sleeping on the job.

“I can’t address this drug menace alone and some of my colleagues in NACADA are not as forthcoming with the much needed support in fighting this menace.”

This is not the first time Jaguar is hitting out at the NACADA body. In June 2015, the singer threatened to resign from his position as a board member, citing massive corruption at the authority bestowed with responsibility of securing Kenya off drugs.