County where youths are paid Sh 400 daily to keep away from alcohol

janet ndila

May 20, 2018 3:37 PM

Ferdinand Waititu on the spot over controversial project

The war against alcoholism in Kiambu County has taken a new twist with reports indicating that 4000 youths have been added to the County’s payroll with each pocketing Sh 400 daily to keep them away from drugs.

According to Sunday Nation, the approach adopted by Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu sees the county spend Sh 2 Million daily and Sh522 Million a year on the youth who had blamed joblessness for their alcoholism.

However, the plan has run into trouble with a section of Kiambu county leaders terming it unsustainable and not well thought out.

Of concern is that a whooping Sh522Million will be spent on the 4000 youths who in exchange do manual jobs such as collecting garbage and clearing road reserves in their respective villages.

Led by Kiambu Woman Representative Gathoni Wamuchomba, the leaders observed that the county was was getting a raw deal as some of the youth had confessed that they were using the same money to buy alcohol.

Her stand was supported by Thika Town MP Patrick Wainaina who noted that giving money to alcoholics was not the best way to address alcoholism.

According to Wainaina, the program was not well thought out and the recovering alcoholics shoul first be taken through a proper rehabilitation programme.

Traders have also faulted the Kiambu county for allegedly using goons to conduct raids with alcol dealers claiming that the youths who accompany the county officers during the raids loot their stock and later sell them.

20 legal businesses mostly dealing in wines and spirits have made reports with the police.

janet ndila