Gambling: We need to act as a country.

I must admit, and most of you will agree, that most of the youth are now into gambling, as a source revenue and not as a source of entertainment.

We all know not less than three friends who engage in gambling on a daily basis just to try their luck and hope they will multiply their money.

Well, is it bad? No. I don;t think gambling is entirely bad. It has changed the livelihood of many people, and I would also admit that it has in some instances helped me when I was broke. Very broke.

However, we must admit that the new alternative source of living has come with its downside.

Three days ago, a trader was reported to have lost Kshs. 9,000 in a bet and thereafter committed suicide.

Last year a student bet Kshs. 80,000 that was meant for school fees and hanged himself after losing the money.

I would like to credit M.P. Jakayo Midiwo for introducing the betting bill last year that would clamp and try to protect the youth from the ills of betting.

We as a country need to face the fact that the betting craze is going to hurt this country in the next few years.

I have seen secondary small kids brag about how they made Sh300 out of a Sh100 bet. Good money to them.

But what idea is being ingrained in them? That they do not have to go to work in order to earn money.

These small kids do not work, only receiving the money from their parents. What happens when they finish high school and are jobless, yet they are used to having some money?

They will start stealing and we will start blaming their parents for not teaching them well.

As a country, we need to embrace the hidden bitter truth that gambling, has become so accessible and if no proper measures are put into place, Kenya is going to be a great gambling destination in the next five years.

Already more than ten gambling companies are in operation and this is a testimony to the market that we have become.

Let us not relent and plant seeds of laziness in our future generations. Gambling will never replace traditional means of succeeding for the majority.

I urge the Government, betting companies and relevant authorities shall come out and address this issue with the full seriousness it deserves.