Mombasa enforces no smoking policy

By NGUMBAO KITHI

MOMBASA: The Mombasa County has banned public smoking and Kenyans will be allowed to smoke at a designated place at the Mama Ngina drive once the County domesticates smoking.

The County Public Health officer, Joseph Kimwele said the Mombasa County has domesticated the public smoking and would soon be discussed and enforced in Mombasa.

“We have identified Mama Ngina drive as the only place where Kenyans are free to go there and smoke at will anybody smoking publicly will be arrested,” he said.

He said the current problem when members of the public were forced to smoke cigarettes must be stopped forthwith following the new legislation.

He said the Mombasa strategic plan has adopted the public smoking where hoteliers and other entertainment placers must display smoking places at their venues.

“There are many people suffering from cardiovascular heart diseases and therefore, public smoking is the main cause of this problem,” he said.

Mr Kimwele also banned the sale of single cigarettes to the young people and warned parents against asking their children to buy cigarettes at the nearest kiosk.

He advised hoteliers to set aside particular places at their hotels where the public would be allowed to smoke and stop the current trend where Kenyans smoke at will forcing the rest of Kenyans swallow smoke against their will.

“Nowhere in the world is the public asked to smoke at will because others are smoking and have refused to hide and force others to smoke,” he said.

He said Mombasa residents were the most affected people as there were no ban on public smoking and there was no direction from the County Government.

He said the public health department has strengthened the inspectorate department and the police to deal with the public smoking in Mombasa.

“We have already drawn up the debate which is due for discussion by the county assembly and the ban on public smoking will be in force,” he said.

He praised both the churches and mosques for enforcing the ban on public smoking and called on Kenyans to stop the public smoking among public service vehicles.

“The cigarettes must be bought in 10 cigarettes or the packet, the sale of single cigarettes is banned and anybody violating the law must face our wrath,” he said.

He warned that the sale and advertisement of the cigarettes had been banned in Mombasa and warned the kiosk owners against displaying the sale of cigarettes at their places of sale.

“We are going to arrest the children who are sent by their parents to buy cigarettes, the cigarettes are for the adult people and not for children,” he said.

He said the children must tell us the people who asked them to visit the shop to buy cigarettes when they are below 18 years of age.

The Mombasa County executive committee member, Ms Binti Omar said the Mombasa County wishes to domesticate the public smoking and called for the setting up of the smoking places in the town.