By:Faith Mukundi
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has pledged increased government support to agencies involved in the fight against illicit alcohol and drugs, citing the need to strengthen enforcement and regulatory capacity.
Kindiki said the government would support the Government Chemists, NACADA, Anti-Counterfeit Authority and Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) after the agencies requested additional assistance to enhance their operations.
“We have also committed to support the other agencies that have requested for more government support: Government Chemists, NACADA, Anti-Counterfeit Authority, KEBS,” Kindiki said.
The Deputy President said the agencies were critical to the multi-agency approach being used to dismantle networks involved in the manufacture, distribution and sale of illicit alcohol and narcotic drugs.
The additional support is expected to strengthen the agencies’ ability to undertake testing, regulatory enforcement, anti-counterfeit operations and other interventions targeting products considered a threat to public health and safety.
Kindiki said the government would continue scaling up the multi-agency crackdown while improving intelligence gathering and coordination between enforcement agencies, county governments and local communities.
He also disclosed that the Anti-Narcotics Unit currently has 200 officers, with the government working to increase the number to 700 in line with President William Ruto’s directives.
The government is also reviewing controls around ethanol, particularly illegal imports and the diversion of industrial ethanol into the manufacture of alcoholic drinks.
Kindiki maintained that the renewed crackdown would be intelligence-led and free from political or business interference.