Drug peddlers should be hanged, says CS Matiang'i

Interior Cabinet secretary Fred Matiang’i calls for stiffer penalties on drug pushers. [Edward Kiplimo, Standard]

 

The Interior Cabinet secretary has proposed that drug trafficking be made a capital offence.

 Fred Matiang’i called for stiffer penalties on drug pushers when he launched a national crackdown on illicit drugs and alcohol.

“I hope that this Parliament will not only amend the law but will consider much stiffer penalties so that moving drugs around is a capital offence.

“Any society that does not care about its young people will disappear,” he said.

Matiang’i blamed counties for the influx of alcoholic joints in the country.

“Devolution of the licensing function has complicated the situation and led to the mushrooming of bars, most of which are not licensed as a result of weak or non-existence of licensing committees with clear guidelines to regulate the sector,” he said.

He spoke during a meeting at the Kenya School of Government with top security bosses and four teams that will lead the operations in various counties.

The teams comprise representatives from Nacada, the Kenya Revenue Authority, Ministry of Health, National Police Service, Anti-Counterfeit Authority, the national administration, and the Kenya Bureau of Standards.

The multi-agency team will inspect the appropriateness of alcohol outlets, security of the premises, and validity of licences.