GITHUNGURI – An unlicensed rehabilitation centre in Kiambu County has been shut down after authorities discovered patients living in squalid, dangerous conditions.
The raid on Ahadi Rehabilitation Center, located in Githunguri, was carried out without warning by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), alongside public health officials. What they found was, in the words of NACADA’s chief, “nothing short of exploitation.”
“There were no doctors, no counsellors, and no dignity,” said Dr Anthony Omerikwa, NACADA’s CEO, speaking outside the facility. “This wasn’t a treatment centre. It was a dumping ground for vulnerable people.”
The inspection revealed a grim scene: patients, some clearly unwell, were left without medical care. Mattresses were dirty and torn, crammed into stuffy dormitories. Toilets were overflowing. The kitchen, meant to serve food to those in recovery, was unsanitary and unsafe.
“The situation was dire. We had no choice but to close it down immediately,” Dr Omerikwa said.
In the hours following the raid, NACADA worked with accredited treatment facilities to relocate all the residents. Families of patients were contacted to help manage the transition.
Ahadi Rehabilitation Center is just one of many suspected illegal facilities across the country. According to NACADA, of the 255 rehab centres inspected in recent years, only 139 meet the minimum legal standards. That’s against an estimated national need for over three million people living with substance use disorders.
“We know there’s a gap in treatment options, but that does not excuse turning a blind eye to abuse,” Dr Omerikwa added. “We are stepping up. National inspections begin now. Anyone operating without a licence should expect a knock on the door.”
This is not an isolated case. Experts say the rising number of unregulated private rehab centres is fuelled by desperation. Families, overwhelmed by addiction crises, are often too quick to trust anyone offering a promise of help.
A recent internal report seen by media suggests that as many as one in four private rehab centres in Kenya could be operating illegally.
Public health advocates have long warned that without tighter regulation, patients will continue to be exposed to harm. “This is a public health issue as much as it is a rights issue,” said Miriam Wanjiku, a Nairobi-based addiction counsellor. “You can’t heal someone in a place where they’re dehumanised.”
NACADA is now urging Kenyans to verify the legitimacy of rehab facilities through its website or by calling its toll-free line, 1192. Officials stress that licensing status should be the first question any family asks when seeking treatment for a loved one.
As the country grapples with a growing addiction crisis, NACADA’s crackdown is being seen as both necessary and long overdue. But the road ahead remains challenging.
“There are no shortcuts to recovery,” Dr Omerikwa said. “And there is no excuse for treating people without care, compassion, or competence.”
