War on drugs tops Kenyatta’s Mombasa visit agenda

President Uhuru Kenyatta has asked coast residents and local leaders to come together and hand over names of suspected drug of barons to the government in order to help fight the rampant addiction in the region.

Speaking at Fort Jesus in Mombasa during the official launch of the National Youth Service (NYS) Youth Empowerment Program at Fort Jesus, President Kenyatta said it is only the local population that can help the government to get factual information on drug trafficking in the area.

President Kenyatta said his government has no intention of arresting or harassing drug addicts, adding that it will ensure drug victims are taken to various rehab centers for correction purposes.

“Drug addicts need help and they will be taken to rehabilitation centres, but we will have to arrest the peddlers and the barons. Those who supply and sell to them live among you and that is why you should lead in this fight,” said the President.

Coast leaders among them Mombasa Governor Ali Hassan Joho, Mining Cabinet Secretary Najib Balala and Mvita MP Abdulswamad Nassir supported President Kenyatta’s efforts to fight drugs in the region and urged locals to assist the police in identifying suspects.

“This town is your town and you have to wake up. We did not have to wait for the President to come to make us realise that we have to take action,” said Joho.

The NYS project will employ more than 1,000 youth who will be engaged in cleaning up the Old Town, open up drainage systems and build police posts and health clinics.

The youth empowerment project has also kicked off in Kisauni Constituency and will soon be extended to Likoni as well other coast counties.

The NYS project is part of a raft of measures that the government will implement to boost the economy of the coastal city.