Wednesday’s announcement by the government regarding measures aimed at eradicating illicit brews, drugs, and substance abuse is a stark reminder of the failure of our enforcement agencies.
These new guidelines, while seemingly promising, now place an even heavier burden on the very institutions that have repeatedly failed to enforce existing laws.
It’s infuriatingly ironic that in a country burdened with a plethora of laws and regulations, the primary issue lies in the gross negligence of those entrusted with its enforcement.
KRA, KEBS, ACA, Public Health, NACADA, NGAO, NPS etc. All these institutions have existed for decades with little impact due to incompetence and outright failure.
The directive prohibiting public officers from owning or operating bars should not be viewed as a progressive step, but rather as a shameful admission of the rampant conflict of interest within our enforcement agencies.
How can we expect these same officers to suddenly develop a sense of duty and integrity when they’ve consistently failed to do so in the past?
Reports have repeatedly highlighted corruption and lack of enforcement as major obstacles to combating alcohol and drug abuse in Kenya.
Yet, here we are, with a laundry list of new measures that will likely suffer the same fate as their predecessors unless there is a fundamental shift in how enforcement agencies operate.
It’s time to hold these agencies responsible for their failures and demand real action, not just empty promises and superficial gestures.
The success of these new guidelines hinges on the willingness and ability of our enforcement agencies to finally do their jobs. Anything less would be unforgivable.
Copy by Fred Indimuli- host Morning Cafe show
