Authorities in Homa Bay have seized cannabis worth an estimated five million shillings in a raid near university hostels, raising fresh alarm over drug use among students.
The operation, carried out earlier this week, was led by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) with support from the Anti-Narcotics Unit and Administration Police. Officers swooped on Jaacf Kodongo Estate, a neighbourhood known for its large student population.
Two suspects were arrested at the scene and remain in custody. Police also recovered assorted cigarette brands, including Oris and Supermatch, valued at about 100,000 shillings.
“This operation is a clear warning to drug traffickers exploiting young Kenyans. We are closing in on you,” said NACADA’s chief executive, Dr Anthony Omerikwa. “We will not allow our universities, institutions meant to nurture talent and shape the future, to be turned into breeding grounds for addiction and crime.”
The raid forms part of a wider national crackdown on narcotics distribution networks, particularly those targeting students. NACADA confirmed that more operations are planned in hotspots across the country.
The bust comes just weeks after the release of a NACADA study highlighting the scale of the crisis on campus. The report found that more than 30 percent of university students admitted to using cannabis, while nearly 40 percent reported regular use of alcohol and tobacco. Access to narcotics around universities has risen sharply in the past three years, the study said.
“The statistics are not just numbers, they are a red flag,” Dr Omerikwa warned. “This is a national crisis. We must act decisively, or we risk losing a generation to drugs.”
Local leaders have backed the crackdown but are urging residents to play their part. Police appealed for information from students and communities living near campuses, saying tips could prove vital in dismantling the networks feeding the trade.
For many families, the fear is not only about crime but about the slow erosion of education. As one Homa Bay resident put it outside the cordoned-off estate: “We send our children to school to study, not to fall into this trap. We need to protect them.”
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