By:Faith Mukundi
The government has established a permanent secretariat in the Office of the Deputy President to coordinate efforts to combat illicit alcohol and drugs, in a move aimed at strengthening inter-agency cooperation in tackling the trade.
The secretariat, which will be based on the sixth floor of Harambee House, will bring together security agencies, regulatory bodies and government departments involved in the fight against illegal and harmful alcoholic drinks and narcotics.
Its membership will include representatives from the National Police Service, Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), the Anti-Counterfeit Authority, the National Intelligence Service (NIS), the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC).
The Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), the Ministries of Trade and Health, and the Alcohol Manufacturers Association will also be represented.
The government said the arrangement is intended to provide a continuous and coordinated framework for addressing the manufacture, distribution, sale and consumption of illicit alcohol and drugs.
In another significant policy shift, the government has elevated the fight against illicit alcohol to an organised crime priority, placing it in the same broad category of national security concerns as terrorism and banditry.
The move signals an intention to treat the illegal alcohol trade not merely as a regulatory challenge but as a security threat requiring coordinated intelligence gathering, enforcement operations and prosecution.
Security agencies have been directed to take firm action against cartels involved in the trade, which the government says threatens young people and the country’s future.
The government has also adopted a whole-of-society approach, calling on religious institutions, community organisations, business leaders, politicians, scholars and professionals to support efforts to address the problem.
The approach recognises that enforcement alone may not eliminate the trade without public cooperation, community awareness and action against the networks involved in the production and distribution of dangerous alcoholic drinks.
Authorities have further stated that the campaign will remain apolitical, with security agencies expected to conduct operations through intelligence-led structures.
The government said the process would involve coordinated raids, arrests and prosecutions, adding that political interference or attempts to politicise enforcement would not be tolerated.
The establishment of the secretariat is expected to provide a central coordination point for the agencies involved. However, its effectiveness will depend on how well the institutions share intelligence, coordinate investigations and pursue cases against those responsible for manufacturing and distributing illicit products.
The government has not provided further details on the secretariat’s leadership, operational budget or the timeline for implementing the new coordination framework.