MPs call for speed up of national policy on narcotics control

What you need to know:

  • The HIV/Aids Parliamentary committee said on Wednesday February 7 that it was commendable that the government had already put in place the Drugs Control Act that is now operational; however, it raised concern over the absence of a national policy on narcotics control.

  Members of parliament have asked the government to speed up the process of forming the National Narcotics-drugs Policy which would help set the country’s roadmap in dealing with abuse of narcotics.

The HIV/Aids Parliamentary committee said on Wednesday February 7 that it was commendable that the government had already put in place the Drugs Control Act that is now operational; however, it raised concern over the absence of a national policy on narcotics control.

Tabling the committee’s report in parliament, the chairperson Dr Jasmin Bunga said that the committee was aware of the initial steps being taken by the government in establishing the policy.

“We are aware that views are being collected and this has began in the Lake zone regions of the country. We ask the government to speed up the process so that we can rescue the nation from this narcotics crisis,’’ added Dr Bunga as she read  the committee’s report.

The committee said Sh2.3 billion had been allocated to  the National Drugs Control Authority in the 2016/177 financial year but until March 2017, Sh851 million, which is equivalent to 37 percent of the budget allocated by the parliament, had been received by the authority.

“The committee is satisfied with the way the government has been proactive in financing the authority,’’ she added.