Mombasa kicks out drug addicts from rehabs for misbehaving

The County Government of Mombasa has dismissed claims that more than 100 drug addicts had sneaked out of its public rehab centers after they allegedly failed to provide them with food and medical attention.

This comes only a day after some drug addicts who surrendered to the authority claimed to have sneaked out of rehabilitation centers.

However, speaking to Citizen TV, Mombasa county health executive secretary Bint Omar said that those purporting to have sneaked away were kicked out of county rehab centers after they were discovered ferrying drugs into the facilities.

Omar accused the two directors of National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) Charles Njagua AKA ‘Jaguar’ and Sheikh Juma Ngao of playing politics with drug issues in the Coast region instead of working local leaders.

Fadhil Omar, one of the drug addicts from Kisauni Sub County, told the two directors during their visit in Bamburi last Sunday that he was among drug addicts who sneaked away, following what he said that was lack of commitment by the county government of Mombasa to have them rehabilitated.

“There is no food, no medicine and all they do is injecting us. You wake up hungry and they ask you for money to buy you food. At times just inject you,” he said.

Omar added that politicians only go to woo them with words and make them believe they want to be of help but no action has been taken to improve their welfare and lifestyle.

However, over 40 drug addicts currently receiving treatment at Mvita clinic in Majengo area dismissed claims that they were being denied food, and urged government agencies to work closely with local leaders to have the issue addressed.

Less than a month since the government ordered for a crackdown on drug dens in Mombasa, 25 of the 150 drug addicts who had surrendered to the authorities have since returned to their old ways over alleged lack of food at the rehabilitation centres.

The addicts were being accommodated at the Coast General Hospital where they escaped by jumping through the window in a bid to save themselves from hunger.

In the process of escaping, some addicts got injured.

Speaking to journalists after visiting government rehab center at Coast General Hospital and other slum areas affected by drugs in the county two days ago, Njagua and Ngao said they were shocked to discover that some drug addicts were back on the streets.

Juma said that the drug menace in the coastal region is not taken seriously like in other areas.