The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has shut down Ahadi Rehabilitation Center in Githunguri, Kiambu County, after an impromptu raid revealed appalling conditions and gross violations of health and safety standards.
During the joint operation led by NACADA’s Compliance and Enforcement team and Public Health officials, investigators found patients living in filth, lacking medical care, and exposed to serious health risks.
Dormitories were poorly ventilated, filled with torn, soiled mattresses, and surrounded by unsanitary toilets. The facility’s kitchen was also found in a highly unhygienic state, with food stored in conditions that could easily trigger disease outbreaks.
Shockingly, there were no qualified medical or counselling personnel present to care for the patients, many of whom were visibly ill.
“This isn’t just substandard, it’s criminal exploitation of vulnerable Kenyans,” said NACADA CEO Dr. Anthony Omerikwa, who was present during the raid. “We will not tolerate these so-called rehabilitation centres that operate as human warehouses. Effective immediately, we’re launching nationwide inspections to root out every illegal facility preying on desperate families.”
Dr. Omerikwa acknowledged Kenya’s treatment gap—only 139 of the 255 inspected centres are accredited to serve an estimated 3.2 million people with substance use disorders—but stressed that substandard care is not an acceptable solution.
“Recovery must happen with dignity, not in conditions that negate that principle,” he emphasized, warning that unlicensed operators will face the full force of the law.
Following the closure, all clients at Ahadi were safely relocated to licensed facilities, with NACADA assisting families in the transfer process.
The authority has urged the public to confirm the licensing status of treatment centres through official channels and to report suspicious facilities by calling NACADA’s toll-free line 1192.
This crackdown comes amid growing concern over the rise of unregulated rehab centres taking advantage of Kenya’s escalating addiction crisis.
