This archive report was first published on 7 August 2019.
Despite the ban on shisha sales in Nairobi, a recent study has revealed that some areas in the city are still seeing high levels of shisha smoking. According to the Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance (Ketca), 82% of the 200 nightclubs, restaurants, and bars surveyed in six areas of Nairobi were found to be in compliance with the ban.
The study, which was conducted in 2019, found that the highest level of compliance was observed in Westlands, where 100% of the venues visited were found to be in compliance. However, the lowest level of compliance was found in Parklands, where only 57% of the venues visited were found to be in compliance.
Dr. Salome Nyambura, a research consultant from Kenyatta University, noted that the survey found that many entertainment joints in Parklands continue to break the law by selling shisha to university students. "The paraphernalia was rarely seen in restaurants," she said.
The ban on shisha sales in Nairobi was introduced in 2017, making it illegal for restaurants and nightclubs to sell the product. The ban was contained in a legal notice dated December 28, 2017, and warned that anyone found contravening the rules would be liable to a fine not exceeding Sh50,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding six months or both.
However, despite the ban, some business owners have continued to sell shisha, with some even offering bribes to be allowed to continue doing so. "Many business owners who sell shisha have gone underground," said Joel Gitali, chairman of Ketca.
