Gachagua Pledges to Block Hard Drugs From Entering Kenya Within One Year

Former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has pledged to stop hard drugs from entering Kenya within one year if elected, making the fight against narcotics and excessive alcohol consumption a central part of his platform.

Speaking at an event in the United States, Gachagua said heroin, cocaine and cannabis sativa would be blocked from entering Kenya through stronger border surveillance and firm government action. He said the one-year target was achievable with political will and strong support for security agencies. 

Gachagua cited his previous campaign against illicit brews as evidence of his ability to deliver, saying the initiative had achieved what he described as a 70 per cent success rate within 12 months. Gachagua also called for tighter regulation of alcohol consumption, arguing that excessive drinking had become a serious social problem in Kenya. He contrasted the current drinking culture with earlier decades, when alcohol was promoted as an activity after work.

“Tusker was being advertised as ‘Tusker baada ya kazi’,” he said. “Today, the ‘badala ya kazi’… How do we have a country where alcohol is ‘badala ya kazi’?”

He linked the fight against narcotics and alcohol abuse to wider efforts to protect families and young people. He said Kenya needed stronger controls on the alcohol industry while balancing economic interests with public welfare.

Kenya’s location along the Indian Ocean and its extensive transport networks have made it a transit route for narcotics destined for international markets. Authorities regularly report drug seizures at airports, border crossings and along major highways.

Gachagua said the continued movement of narcotics was not primarily a logistical problem but a result of inadequate political commitment. He argued that security agencies could disrupt trafficking networks and prevent drugs from entering the country if they received sufficient political and institutional support.

The leader of the Democratic Congress Party said his proposals formed part of a broader agenda focused on security, governance and social responsibility. He pledged to strengthen enforcement at border points and introduce stricter controls on the alcohol industry.

Gachagua said the measures would be aimed at reducing substance abuse and protecting young people from its effects. He maintained that firm enforcement and political support would be necessary to achieve the targets he has set.