Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has announced plans to set up at least one public rehabilitation facility in each county within the next year as part of intensified efforts to fight illicit alcohol and drug abuse. Kindiki said the projects would be developed and run by the national and county governments with costs running at Ksh60 million per facility.

“The National and County Governments will partner to build and operate at least one public rehabilitation centre per County within the next one year, at an estimated cost of 60 million shillings per facility,” Kindiki said in a press release.

The announcement came after a meeting with Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen, Inspector General of Police Douglas Kanja and heads of security and regulatory agencies on Tuesday. Kindiki also asked enforcers to re-inspect alcohol manufacturing to determine if they are licensed and compliant with regulations. The government will order closure of those found operating without a licence and those not compliant with the regulations.

The Deputy President said intelligence-led and multi-agency operations have yielded significant results in targeting illegal distillers and suppliers of illicit liquor and that additional resources and equipment will be provided to the agencies.

Kindiki asked Murkomen to hold a sector forum in the next 14 days in collaboration with the relevant Council of Governors’ Committee to deliberate on licensing, regulation and consumption of alcohol. The forum will also come up with a framework for cooperation between the national government and county governments in setting up and running rehabilitation facilities. The county facilities will provide much-needed publicly-funded treatment and rehabilitation services to alcohol and drug abusers.

Kenya had in 2024 set up a national-county rehabilitation programme as the government in collaboration with county governments set out to establish treatment and rehabilitation centres in all 47 counties. The Miritini facility in Mombasa was intended to be a centre of excellence.

Kindiki’s latest announcement comes as the government intensifies its fight against illicit alcohol and drug abuse through a combination of enforcing laws against suppliers of illicit liquor and increasing treatment and rehabilitation services for abusers. The government is also set to hold a Special Intergovernmental Budget and Economic Council (IBEC) meeting next month to deliberate on the economic implications of alcohol and drug abuse and addiction.