Residents of Isiolo have been urged to embrace collective responsibility in an effort to curb the widespread use of drug substances in the region, a menace that threatens to derail the progress of youths who have already indulged themselves into the vice.
Speaking at Isiolo Boys High School playground during a week-long football tournament organized by the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) and the office of the County Member of Parliament Mumina Bonaya, various leaders pointed out that the war on drug and substance abuse will only be won through dedicated team work between members of public, administrators, police and the Judiciary who are often accused of leniency to offenders when they are arrested and arraigned.
MP Bonaya noted that Kenya as a country is not lacking in adequate laws to address the drugs issue, but the problem lies in the implementation of the set of laws that are already in place.
She appealed to young people to engage themselves in constructive activities such as sports in order to reduce the risk of being lured into drug and substance abuse, especially during the holiday seasons like now.
NACADA Coordinator for Isiolo County Alice Mwangi noted that the football tournament was just one of the measures that the authority was taking as a way of sensitizing local youths against the vice, adding that preventing the young people from ever engaging in drug abuse was the top priority, as opposed to trying to get out of the menace once they are already addicted.
Alice however said that the authority was working closely with the county government to see to it that an outpatient space is created at the County Referral Hospital to help those who are already addicted and wish to obtain help to quit the drug life. She said that the drugs commonly being abused in the area include tobacco, bhang, alcohol and miraa.
The authority also provided a tent for Counselling sessions for youths throughout the tournament.
Isiolo Sub County DCC Christopher Siele said that in a bid to enforce the laws against drug and substance abuse, National Government Administration Officers and the police are under firm instructions to conduct operations in their respective areas, noting that people are being arrested in connection to the same every week and are arraigned in court.
Siele noted that Isiolo town being a transport corridor linked to other nations like Ethiopia and even Somalia, the town is prone to intrusion by drug traffickers, hence the need for all stakeholders to embrace team work in order to overcome that challenge.
Omar Godana, an area elder noted that unless the Judiciary becomes supportive by handing out heavy sentences to offenders, the fight against drug and substance abuse will always be in vain.
He lamented that people who are known to be selling the outlawed substances are often let out once they are arrested and arraigned, a situation that emboldens them to continue with their activities.
The tournament involved eight teams from Wabera, Bulapesa, Ngaremara and Burat wards, the four wards that make up Isiolo Municipality, with each ward providing two teams. Grevy’s Zebra from Ngaremara ward emerged winners, beating Bilbao FC from Bulapesa ward in post-match penalties following a barren draw in regular time.
The Winner bagged a cash prize of Kshs 100,000 and a trophy.
Youths who took part in the tournament made an appeal to stakeholders to organize similar events more regularly, in order to accord them an opportunity/platform to showcase talent, and at the same time engage them constructively especially during holidays.