drug barons spring back to business, defy Govt directive

Drug barons have taken over sections of Mombasa County in a fresh resurgence barely a year after President Uhuru Kenyatta declared war on the vice.

The president made his intentions clear when he led in sinking a ship — suspected to have drugs — in the ocean. 

Mombasa Woman Rep Mishi Mboko claimed on Monday at a meeting in Nyali sub-county that drug dens had resurfaced in Likoni, Mvita and Kisauni constituencies where hard drugs are bought and consumed in broad daylight with police officers extorting cash to protect the barons. 

Likoni OCPD Willy Simba confirmed the reports saying the government had come in with renewed force to deal with the menace. 

“It’s true what the Woman Rep said. We have had the problem of illicit drug trade in Likoni which, we have seen, is fuelling the insecurity that we are battling with,” said Mr Simba. 

Last week, said the OCPD, four rogue police officers suspected to be in the extortion ring were transferred including the Officer Commanding Police Station (OCS) of Inuka and his Likoni police station counterpart together with two constables. 

An Administration Police officer was recently arrested in Inuka area of Likoni after being found to be involved in the drug trade.

CRIME HOTBED

Mr Simba warned that Likoni area had once again become a hotbed of crime with marauding youth robbing and killing residents. 

A leaders’ meeting was held in the area to find ways of dealing with the fresh menace, said the OCPD. 

“We have just subdued M-Pesa robberies which were rampant here. But now, we are faced with emerging trends of young boys committing all sorts of crime. We are also dealing with the issues of terrorism in this area. The Mombasa Republican Council (MRC) too, has started recruiting members after its leader Omar Mwamnwadzi disappeared mysteriously recently,” he said. 

The Mombasa County Commissioner Evans Achoki said thorough investigations into the drug and crime allegations would be launched immediately and promised that the government would deal with perpetrators ruthlessly. 

“I will call all leaders immediately so that we get a common approach to the matter,” he said.

Ms Mboko said that the problem had spilled over to Mvita and Kisauni constituencies where she said hundreds of youths had been turned to zombies in the area as well known drug barons went scot free after buying their way out from police officers. 

“There are places in Likoni, Mvita and Kisauni where in broad daylight, hordes of youths consume drugs which are bought from well-known drug barons.

But the dealers buy their freedom through protection fees and bribery. The security apparatus has totally failed in this county,” she said.

She made the remarks at Freetown community hall in Nyali sub-county during a ceremony to issue cheques to women, youths and People with Disability (PWD) groups from Mvita, Kisauni and Nyali constituencies. 

On August 29, 2014, President Kenyatta supervised the blowing up of a Sh1.3 billion ship, MV Al Noor and its contents aboard a military helicopter 33km from the Mombasa Port and sunk to a depth of 329 meters with 370.8kg of heroin. 

The Head of State declared war on drugs and warned that if any vessel would be found to be carrying drugs to the country, it would be promptly destroyed.