The Director of Criminal Investigations (DCI), Mohammed Amin, has vowed to intensify the fight against drug and substance abuse, calling for stronger community-police partnerships and warning that officers complicit in illicit networks will face strict consequences.
Speaking during a security assessment tour in Marsabit County, Amin emphasized the urgent need to protect communities, particularly the youth, from the devastating effects of alcohol and drug abuse, echoing President William Ruto’s recent declaration of a national emergency on the issue.
During the tour, Amin visited several police stations across the county, assessed operational readiness, and engaged directly with officers and local residents to boost morale and encourage collaboration in tackling the menace.
He commended officers for their dedication while highlighting the importance of community involvement in identifying and dismantling drug networks.
He directed police commanders nationwide to take decisive action against sellers, traffickers, and distributors of illicit drugs, warning that “any law enforcement officers or public officials found protecting or enabling drug networks will be held fully accountable.”
Amin described the renewed approach as comprehensive and uncompromising, emphasizing that no one is above the law in the fight against drug abuse, calling for unity between security agencies and the public to ensure that Kenya’s youth and communities are protected from the devastating impact of drugs and alcohol.
President William Ruto, on December 31, 2025, declared alcohol and drug abuse a national development and security emergency, warning that nearly five million Kenyans aged 15 to 65 are currently using at least one substance of abuse.
Speaking during a New Year's address, the President highlighted that the crisis disproportionately affects men and young adults, with one in every three men and one in five young adults aged 25 to 35 using drugs or abusing alcohol.
“Over 1.5 million young Kenyans are being pulled away from opportunity into dependency,” Ruto said, stressing that alcohol remains the most widely used substance, with more than 3.2 million current users.
The head of state said the government will establish a strengthened anti-narcotics unit within the Directorate of Criminal Investigations, modeled to operate with a capacity comparable to the anti-terrorism police unit.
The unit will work as a permanent multi-agency formation alongside NACADA, the National Intelligence Service, border management agencies, county governments, and international partners.
President Ruto said the unit’s strength will be boosted from the current 200 to 700 officers through new recruitment and redeployment, all trained and equipped for operations against high-level traffickers, organized criminal networks, and illicit alcohol operations.
2025 data by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) highlights a growing drug abuse crisis in Kenya, particularly among university students and the young working class.
Nationally, approximately 4.7 million Kenyans aged 15–65—about one in six—use at least one substance, with alcohol leading at 3.2 million users, followed by tobacco at 2.3 million, and khat (miraa/muguka).
The most affected group is youth aged 25–35, with over 1.5 million users.
