Kilifi County Governor Gideon Mung’aro has banned the entry, transportation, distribution, sale, and use of muguka and its products within the county attributing its misuse to the growing drug addiction among the youth including children in the region.
This comes only a day after Mombasa County implemented the same ban, causing panic among the traders, buyers, and consumers of the product in the region.
In his statement during a press briefing the governor ordered the immediate closure of all retail and wholesale outlets that sell and distribute muguka in Kilifi.
“In exercise of the powers conferred in Section 30(2)(1) of the County Government Act and all other enabling laws of Kenya, I, Gideon Maitha Mung’aro, Governor of Kilifi County, hereby order and direct that there be a total prohibition of the entry, transportation, sale, and use of muguka and its products within the county”, Mung’aro said in his statement.
He stated that this was one of the ways that his administration is using to fight the illicit drugs menace in the county that is now affecting young children as well as adults, adding that muguka is not in the NACADA’s (National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse) list of legal drugs in Kenya.
He further added that motor vehicles transporting the product will not be allowed entry into the county and directed the responsible county departments and agencies to enforce this order without exception.
“In light of the above order, I therefore, with immediate effect, issue a directive to all the Kilifi County enforcement officers through the Directorate of enforcement to ensure the order is enforced in totality. Any officer found colluding with culprits will face the law and all the disciplinary actions there are”, Governor Mung’aro stated.
By Cynthia Maseno
