This archive report was first published on 20 December 2019.
Drug Abuse Rampant in Kenyan Universities ¶
Published on December 20, 2019
Kenyan universities are facing a growing crisis of drug and substance abuse, with a recent study revealing that the University of Nairobi leads the pack in this regard.
The study, which was conducted by consultants on behalf of a state agency, found that universities provide students with unfamiliar freedom from direct parental guidance and supervision, leading some to resort to alcohol, drug, and substance abuse.
The most commonly used drugs among students include bhang, cocaine, heroin, Central Nervous System Depressants, inhalants, khat, and marijuana.
According to the study, public and private universities located in rural areas are the least affected by the scourge of cocaine and heroin, but bhang has seen some students drop out.
Drug peddlers have devised ways to make it easier for students to access drugs, providing safe havens near campuses and using mobile phones to receive orders and payments.
They have also established good relationships with students and residents who watch out for the police and tip them off, making it easy for them to bribe their way out of trouble.
The study found that peddlers find easy customers in students who are in varying states of social influx, from naive and impressionable freshmen to frustrated seniors who have failed to secure internship opportunities.
Student leaders are also being bankrolled by drug barons to compete for leadership positions, and in return, they facilitate the barons to sell drugs to students.
Parties where drugs are abused are frequent at the beginning of every semester, and these parties often lead to cases of rape and other forms of violence.
The study established that the University of Nairobi leads in drug abuse among higher institutions of learning, with at least 3% of the student population having resorted to drug abuse.
Other universities where drug abuse is rampant include Kenyatta University, Maseno University, Kisii University, Moi University, University of Eldoret, Mount Kenya University, Pwani University, and several others.
On the other hand, Catholic University of Eastern Africa, Daystar, Presbyterian, and Nazarene University had the least number of cases of drug abuse, attributed to their Christian foundation.
UMMA University also had few cases of drug abuse due to its strong Muslim foundation, which discourages the vice.
