Reformed drug addicts start car wash business

Drugs menace has been on the rise in various parts of Thika sub-county but a group of 28 youths have beat all odds to drop the anti-social vice and start up their own income generating activity.

The youths, who previously have been involved in use and sale of drugs in Biafra, Majengo and Ofafa estates in Thika town gave up the cat and mouse games with the police and decided to start a car wash in the area where they can be making a decent living.

They were also part of the group of young men who had been giving residents sleepless nights by conducting crimes including mugging and robbing them of their money and other valuables.

 Led by their Chairman John Muchiri on Tuesday, the youths said that they are tired of being chased now and then by police as well as the frequent arrests by the police where they end up being released on a Sh5000 cash bail.

 “The youths have reformed and actually most of them are attending classes to get training on how to gradually withdraw from drugs because some of them were addicts. We decided to start our car wash business so that we can make a decent living and be good members of the society as well as contribute towards our region and country’s economic growth,” Muchiri said at their Thingira Car Wash.

He noted that since last year when they opened the car wash they have been able to wash close to 100 vehicles per day for sh 200 each. He said most of their customers are taxi drivers and matatu operators in Thika town. “We cannot regret our decision. The job is well paying and we have been making profits,” he said. He however noted that police are yet to believe that they have transformed since they are been harassed now and then whenever they conduct raids to arrest drug peddlers in the area.