The National Agency for the Campaign against Drug Abuse has moved to fund the rehabilitation of former Kenya Defence Forces soldier Stanley Gachie Mwangi after his struggle with alcohol addiction drew public attention.
Col (Rtd) Julius Ayub Githiri, who chairs Nacada, visited Mwangi in Murang’a and later took him to St Martin’s Rehabilitation Centre in Maragua. He said the agency would pay for the treatment and rehabilitation in full.
Githiri said he was moved after reading a report on how Mwangi had fallen into alcoholism and was doing casual jobs, including sweeping and running errands for shops and bars, to raise money for cheap liquor.
“I was touched because I was also in the army for 20 years but Nacada will foot his entire bill and re-integration given that he said he is ready to change and mend his ways,” Mr Githiri told the journalists.
Mwangi’s mother said her son had once built her a decent house, but later began selling household items such as spoons and plates to get money for alcohol. She added that she had spent much of her time checking bars when he returned home late, and said she was relieved that he would now get help.
Former colleagues in the Kenya Defence Forces have also started a WhatsApp group to raise money for their former workmate, according to the report.
Githiri also used the visit to criticize the growing number of bars in central Kenya, saying there were more bars in the region than primary schools and churches. He blamed peer pressure for pushing many young people into alcohol and drug abuse.
He faulted county governments for issuing too many bar licences and said the revenue collected from the sector should be used to help rehabilitate addicts.
“When the licensing of bars became a devolved function that is the biggest tragedy that ever happened to the country. Money received from the sector ought to rehabilitate such people but we don’t know where the money goes,” he said.
Githiri said Nacada was also in talks with the National Hospital Insurance Fund to have addiction recognized as a disease and to make it easier for patients to access medical care using NHIF cards. He said many families cannot afford the high fees charged by rehabilitation centres.
“It’s the high time that Kenyans appreciate addiction is a disease and helped the addicts access medical services using the cards because parents and relatives of the victims can’t afford to cater for the huge amounts of fees at rehabilitation centres.
