The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has asked Parliament to expand its mandate in the ongoing war against illicit drugs.
Nacada chief executive officer Anthony Omerikwa, in submissions made before the National Assembly’s departmental committee on administration and internal security, said that the authority had been limited in its mandate on the war against drugs in the country.
Omerikwa told the committee that Nacada at the moment only acts as a regulator and lacks the mandate to enforce laws on the sale, distribution and the consumption of illicit drugs.
“NACADA is a regulator. Our mandate revolves around enhancing compliance. Adjustments to that law would help us expand our scope,” said Omerikwa.
Omerikwa spoke during a meeting with the committee in regards to the ongoing debate on the proposed ban on muguka.
So far, at least several governors in the coastal region have proposed a ban on the stimulate, saying that it had affected the lives of many youths in the region.
Nacada, a government institution under the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of Government, is presently responsible for the coordination of a public education and awareness campaign against alcohol, drugs, and substance abuse in the country.
However, the authority has in recent times been blamed for failing to enforce compliance and the ban on illicit drugs in the country.
In their meeting with the Nacada team, the committee chaired by Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo, called upon the team to be vibrant on the fight against illicit drugs.
During the meeting members sought to know the reason the authority was silent on the ongoing debate on ban on muguka in the coastal region.
In his submission, Omerikwa explained that the authority is a regulatory body and asked members to amend laws so as to expand their mandate.
He added that according to the Second Schedule of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance (Control) Act No. 4 of 1994, Cathine and Cathinone; the chemicals contained in muguka, are classified as psychotropic substances.
He further explained that the said Act criminalizes any trade in psychotropic substances.
“According to Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substance (Control) Act No. 4 of 1994, any person who traffics any narcotic drug or psychotropic substance or any substance represented or held out by him to be a narcotic drug or psychotropic substance, shall be guilty of an offence,” said Omerikwa
The Committee however, expressed dissatisfaction with the responses provided by the Authority.
As a result, Tongoyo asked the team from Nacada to present a detailed report demonstrating the impact of alcohol and drug abuse in counties across the country.
