Embu: The Government has declared war on drug cartels involved in planting Cannabis sativa (bhang) within Mt. Kenya Forest. Interior Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kipchumba Murkomen revealed a thriving vice of cultivation of bhang deep within the government forest typically reserved for wildlife and biodiversity conservation. This issue affects Meru, Tharaka Nithi, and Embu Counties, which are part of the Upper Eastern Region.

According to Kenya News Agency, CS Murkomen expressed grave concern to the security apparatus, emphasizing the need to quickly dismantle the trade. Speaking in Embu Town during the conclusion of the Jukwaa La Usalama, Upper Eastern Edition, he stated that collaboration with the Kenya Forest Service (KFS) was essential to eradicate the vice. Security teams in the three counties have been instructed to work with KFS to apprehend and deal with criminals using the forest for drug cultivation.

In addition to tackling drug cultivation, the CS highlighted the ongoing battle against second-generation and illicit brews, whose production, sale, and consumption are rising in the region. Despite existing legal, regulatory, and administrative frameworks, illicit liquor remains a persistent challenge. The CS called for a change in approach, recognizing that the security sector alone cannot address the menace. He emphasized the need for joint cooperation and support from the local community to eradicate the issue completely.

Murkomen outlined a strategy involving community support to succeed in this fight, starting at the sub-location level by sensitizing the public to their role, including making citizen arrests and presenting culprits to authorities. He urged political leaders not to undermine efforts through interference with arrests and prosecution of manufacturers and distributors. The CS also expressed concerns about some officers abetting illicit liquor businesses, warning that public officers involved in criminal activities would not receive support from the ministry and would face consequences.