Western Regional Police Commander Kiprono Lang’at has unveiled athletic championships in a bid to fight drug and alcohol abuse in Western Kenya.
The race brought together various stakeholders, including the National Authority for the Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA), the Kenya Film Classification Board (KFCB), the Independent Policing Oversight Authority (IPOA), the Anti-Doping Agency of Kenya (ADAK), Athletics Kenya (AK), and residents of Kakamega.
The race included a 10-kilometre and 2-kilometre challenge around the Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology pitch, with street children, community members, and corporate and elite athletes participating.
Western Regional Police Commander Kiprono Lang’at said the main aim of the competition was to sensitise residents of Kakamega to desist from drug and substance abuse.
He said that the western region leads in drug and alcohol abuse, noting that the use of drugs makes people unproductive and lazy, and they become thieves, warning that the drugs they use contain harmful chemical compounds that can even kill them.
The police commander said that the athletics championship comes at a time when police have intensified their crackdown on the use of drugs and the manufacturing of illicit liquor.
He said they have changed tactics, and it will not be enough to crackdown on the drinking dens and those involved in producing illegal liquor; they will provide alternative means for earning a living.
The Police Boss revealed that the anti-drug and substance abuse campaign will continue in other counties of Western Kenya, including Busia, Vihiga and Bungoma, where sensitization forums will be held through athletic championships.
During the competition, Kakamega Deputy Governor Ayub Savula asked the government to increase funding to institutions that fight drug abuse, like NACADA, the police, and the county government, for them to be effective.
He asked the government to revive the programme of integrating street children into the community through the National Youth Service, warning that it would become a crisis if not solved.
He also asked the government to set up a full-fledged department within the police service to specifically deal with the issue of street children.
According to the Western region NACADA Coordinator Sarah Koske, Western region leads in alcohol use at 23.8 per cent according to a survey that they released recently.
She said the region also leads in alcohol-induced disorders and mental health challenges associated with drug and alcohol abuse.
By Moses Wekesa
