Safia Shariff Mohammed’s 32-year-old son cannot do simple tasks any more. He has to be supervised when doing chores such as washing clothes or even taking a bath, as well as being closely monitored on a 24-hour basis.
His current state stems from years of drug abuse, which has taken its toll on his body and reduced him to a zombie.
His parents tie him up using chains to restrict his movement for his own safety, and to stop him from hurting other members of the household at their home in Isiolo County.
Other parents of drug addicts in the devolved unit who spoke to Nation.Africa tell a similar story. They confided that their sons face an uncertain future: they are unable to care for themselves, let alone settle down and start their own families despite being over 40-years-old. This in a patriarchal and conservative society that prizes starting a family as an important rite of passage.
Isiolo Woman Rep Rehema Jaldesa speaks to journalists in Isiolo town on August 6, 2021. She asked local NGOs to support youth initiatives directly and not through the county government.
Photo credit: Waweru Wairimu | Nation Media Group
Some of the commonly used drugs in Isiolo include marijuana (bhang) and hard drugs such as cocaine and heroin.
A cheaper form of cocaine, locally known as Kete, is increasingly popular among the youth, and is consumed by placing under one's lips like Kuber. The drug makes youth go for long without food by inducing lack of appetite.
In September last year, 30 youths battling substance addiction appealed to Governor Mohamed Kuti’s administration to establish a rehabilitation centre where they can get the right treatment and counselling services.
The youths, who had used bhang and hard drugs for more than five years, said they had started the journey to quit their habit but were still struggling with addiction and were yet to get any meaningful assistance.
This is just but a glimpse of the situation in Isiolo town and its outskirts. The town, which is touted to become northern Kenya’s economic hub and a resort city under Vision 2030, is among the fastest-growing towns in northern Kenya. This is thanks to upcoming mega developments projects.
The rapid growth of the once dusty town, lying on the Isiolo-Moyale highway, has seen a rise in the number of tourists visiting Samburu, Shaba and Bisanadi game reserves — making them a preferred alternative to the popular Maasai Mara National Reserve in Narok — and this has seen Isiolo County cash in on the destination sites, increasing its own-source revenue.
Modern buildings, four-star hotels, kiosks and trees by the roadside and hills surrounding the town — which disappear from sight as you proceed to the north — coupled with the heterogeneous mix of cultures, offer a memorable view of the town that is generally warm and windy, especially between June and August.
With a population of over 80,000 people, the town has attracted a lot of investors. But this growth has also come with several shortcomings, including drug and substance abuse, especially among the youth.
Being a transit centre to and from northern Kenya, Isiolo is adversely affected by the proliferation of drugs sneaked into the country through the porous Kenya-Ethiopia border.
Due to poverty, low literacy levels and unemployment, tens of youth have been lured into the drug business in order to earn a living, with others consume the narcotics as they try to forget the desperation they are in.
Aware of the anxiety among the youth, drug dealers, who collude with rogue police officers to ensure easy movement of their consignments, contract young people, including boda boda riders, to transport the drugs.
While huge consignments of the drugs, mostly bhang and cocaine, are ferried to markets in Nairobi, a substantial amount is sold locally, making it available in many shops in the town.
Members of the Kazi Mtaani Community Based Initiative, a community based organisation bringing together hundreds of youths in Isiolo.
Photo credit: Waweru Wairimu | Nation Media Group
A sizable number of youths, seeking ways to salvage their families from poverty, join terror groups after dropping out of school due to a lack of fees, while others venture into the crowded boda boda business that is perceived as lucrative.
Drug addiction has seen many youths drop out of school, sell their household items and indulge in crime while a number have already gone berserk.
Equally affected are the areas on the outskirts of the town in Wabera, Bulapesa and Burat wards and specifically the Bula slums and Mathare village which lack essential services.
Authorities say drug and substance abuse has contributed to an increase in crime by the youths and violence against women and girls.
A big number of women have been left to take care of their children single-handedly after their husbands left home never to return, while others became addicts to the extent that they could not work.
While some of the local leaders have launched empowerment programmes targeting local youths, lack of sustainability remains a huge challenge.
The just-concluded national government’s hygiene programme, popularly known as Kazi Mtaani, has been hailed as among the projects likely to transform the lives of thousands of youths across the country if sustained.
Youth leaders in Isiolo have raised concerns about the termination of the programme, saying thousands of youths who had been employed under Kazi Mtaani had reverted to drugs and substance abuse due to frustrations as they are unable to provide for themselves and their families.
About 3,370 youths had been contracted under the programme in Isiolo.
Aware of the challenges that young people go through after the termination of the work, a group of 26 Kazi Mtaani supervisors and several cohorts came together and registered a community-based organisation to embark on advocacy and sensitisation programmes.
As they hope that the government will extend the work, the group saw it fit to reach out to the thousands of cohorts to prevent them from indulging in drug abuse and crime.
The Kazi Mtaani Community Based Initiative launched the advocacy programme last Friday and will cover, among others, Covid-19, peace and drug abuse to ensure young people engage in meaningful development.
The initiative’s secretary-general Noor Juma said they will conduct educational programmes in public places and visit drug dens in efforts to help addicts recover and realise the dangers of using drugs.
Cognisant that a majority of those flouting Covid-19 rules on social distancing and wearing of face masks are young people, Mr Juma said they will also educate them on the need to stay safe from the disease that continues to wreak havoc across the world.
“The advocacy is meant to ensure our youths are not trapped in drugs and substance abuse and lured into violent extremism,” said Mr Juma, adding that the group also intends to start poultry farming and beekeeping to economically empower its members.
As the country heads to elections next year, Mr Juma said, there is the need to educate young people to preach peace and refrain from being misused by politicians to cause mayhem and chaos before, during and after the elections.
“We know youths are at the centre of insecurity in the county and are the ones who raid villages to steal livestock. We want to encourage them to shun outdated practices and engage in productive activities,” he noted.
Among the people the group intends to prioritise are 30 youths who have been taking hard drugs and have willingly started the rehabilitation process.
With several partners, the youths will put the addicts, who have been on drugs for a long time, on medication and help them find gainful employment to at least afford food among other necessities.
First, the group will come up with a rehabilitation plan based on the level and nature of addiction to help the addicts go back to their normal lives and be productive.
The initiative’s chairman Adan Hassan appealed to President Uhuru Kenyatta to extend the Kazi Mtaani programme and urged the Isiolo County government to roll out a training programme similar to the Meru Youth Service to equip young people with skills for the job market.
“We have already presented a proposal to the county government but nothing has been done. We want the Isiolo Youth Service to offer training to our youth so that they get jobs and refrain from drugs,” said Mr Hassan.
Speaking during a meeting with the youths, Isiolo Woman Representative Rehema Jaldesa hailed the initiative, saying it will go a long way in empowering the group.
The legislator asked local NGOs to support youth initiatives directly and not to channel funds through the county government, saying no significant development had been realised previously.
“Local NGOs should work with residents directly and support such CBOs because the funds channelled to the county have not benefited our people,” Ms Jaldesa said.
Her sentiments were echoed by the officials, who asked the organisations to directly support youths without requiring them to go through the county government.
“This is what is causing frustrations among the youth who have their own groups. We want them to offer help when they visit NGOs’ offices as part of corporate social responsibility,” Mr Juma said.
