President Uhuru Kenyatta declares war on drug menace along KenyanCoast

President uhuru Kenyatta (second left). Kenya Defense Forces Commander Samson Mwathethe (left). Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho (second right), among others, watch manoeuvres by Kenya Air Force parachutes during the opening of the Mombasa international ASK show.

President Uhuru Kenyatta Thursday declared war on the drug menace and terrorism in the Coast region.

He directed security agencies to conduct raids similar to those carried out against illicit brews in Central region.

Uhuru said drugs and radicalisation threaten the future of the youth in Kenya and urged political and religious leaders to support Government efforts against the two problems.

The president said youths who respond to the State amnesty after leaving radical groups should be rehabilitated.

"As the Government and leaders, we must secure the future of our youth and the operation will start soon," he said.

Uhuru directed security agencies and local leaders to establish forums in all constituencies at the Coast to spearhead the operation saying "the politicians know where drug dens are situated."

Leaders from all the six counties at the Coast will today meet the President at State House in Mombasa to come up with a work plan to combat the drug abuse menace and youth radicalisation.

"Like the war on illicit brews, I have directed that an operation against the drug menace in the region should start soon. This operation must be led by political leaders because they know where the dens are. We will not spare anyone," said the President.

Thursday, political leaders in Mombasa supported the President's directive saying many youth in the region had been affected by the vice.

"Mr President, we want the operation so that the blame game can stop. The war on drugs in the Coast should be fought with the same power witnessed in the war against brews," said Mombasa Governor Hassan Joho.

Joho said that he will team up with the national government in the fight against terrorism and drugs saying that Mombasa's economic and social sectors had been affected by the two problems.

In August, last year, President Kenyatta and other top security chiefs supervised the destruction of Mv Al Noor off the coast of Mombasa after it was seized with 377 kilos of heroin worth Sh1 billion.

Early this month, the Government also destroyed a luxury yacht that was seized ferrying heroin worth Sh22 million.

Speaking Thursday during the opening of the Mombasa International Show, Uhuru said no vessels found ferrying the drugs on Kenyan waters would be spared as the Government would "sink any ship that would be found with drugs."

Uhuru also revealed that intelligence reports had established that many coastal youths had crossed to Somalia to be trained as jihadists.

"Let me make it clear the Government will not compromise on security. No religion supports killing. Those people are murderous and should be dealt with according to the law," said the President.

He however, warned security agencies against enforced disappearance of youths suspected to have come back from Somalia adding that some of them require rehabilitation.