The war against drugs in Kenya has received a boost with the release of new drug test kits by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) to NACADA.
NACADA received 30 drug test kits and another 30 precursor kits in Nairobi.
The kits have the capacity to carry out up to 500 tests, boosting the capacity of enforcement units to detect narcotics and the chemicals related to them.
NACADA CEO Dr. Anthony Omerikwa also noted the contribution would help agencies respond faster and keep drugs out of communities.
“These kits will allow us to screen for narcotics quickly and reliably, and improve enforcement,” he stated.
UNODC’s Boniface Wilunda described the kits as simple and reliable, and noted they would make officers feel more confident on the ground.
The handover is in tandem with the escalation by the government of a 100-day crackdown on illicit alcohol and drugs led by Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
The handover also comes in tandem with the new National Alcohol Policy 2025, which places a call on enhanced enforcement and foreign cooperation.
NACADA avers to hand over the kits to frontline officers across the country to support investigations and public health interventions.
