This archive report was first published on 8 August 2019.
On August 8, 2019, a surveillance by the Kenya Tobacco Control Alliance (KTCA) found that night clubs in Nairobi were the worst violators of the shisha ban.
The ban on shisha was implemented in December 2017 by the Government, following a push by anti-tobacco advocates.
KTCA officers visited 200 entertainment spots in seven areas of Nairobi, including Westlands, Parklands, Kasarani, Eastleigh, Lang'ata, Mathare Valley, and Pipeline, between May and June this year.
The highest level of compliance was found in Westlands, at 100%, while the lowest was in Parklands, at 57%.
KTCA chairperson Joel Gitali attributed the low compliance in Parklands to the presence of university students in the area.
However, Dr. Nyambura Salome, who led the surveillance, clarified that the 100% compliance in Westlands did not necessarily mean that there was no consumption of shisha in the area.
Shisha was banned in Kenya in December 2017, and the Government has prohibited its import, manufacture, sale, use, and advertising.
Kenya is one of only six countries in Africa with stringent rules on shisha, which has been linked to cancer, heart disease, pregnancy complications, and respiratory illnesses by the British Heart Foundation.
