President Uhuru Kenyatta has urged leaders in Mombasa County to rehabilitate youth addicted to drugs instead of arresting them.
Speaking on Tuesday at Fort Jesus in Mombasa, President Kenyatta said the biggest challenge the county is facing is to make the young men productive in the society.
The leaders were urged to initiate a number of measures to counter the medical emergency that former drug users will be faced with and to provide rehabilitation and counselling services.
President Kenyatta said the leaders in the region should confront the drug menace head on to free the youth in Mombasa from the vice.
“Drug addicts need help and they will be taken to rehabilitation centres but we will have to arrest the peddlers and the barons,” said Kenyatta.
The president also urged the residents to work closely with security agencies by providing information that will lead to the arrest of drug peddlers.
President Kenyatta said those who peddled drugs in the county were well known among members of the community and they should lead the way.
“Those who are supplying and selling drugs to our youth live among you and that is why you should lead in this fight. You know who the dealers are and we want you to help us get rid of them because we want our youth to have an opportunity to build their lives,” he added.
The president also urged the youth to avoid being misled into joining terrorist groups by people spreading false religion.