Efforts by Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu to fight alcoholism in the county could prove futile, Women Representative Gathoni Wa Muchomba has warned.
According to Wa Muchomba, the strategy by Waititu to save the youth from drugs and substance abuse by paying them after working for the county is doomed to fail.
The governor has initiated a rehabilitation programme where addicts have been doing menial jobs, each receiving Sh 300 on daily basis.
Speaking during a youth meeting in Kiambaa on Friday, the MP termed the strategy as wastage of resources since the victims were using the money to indulge in alcoholism.
"Although the initiative to rehabilitate illicit alcohol and drugs addicts is noble, it loses meaning when the victims spend the day doing manual jobs, and later get paid because they end up using the cash to buy alcohol," she said, as quoted by People Daily.
Wa Muchomba said the best solution was to take the addicts to rehabilitation centers where they can undergo detox programme, be counseled and trained on how to start income generating projects.
Echoing the same sentiments, George Kinyua Muchiri, a reformed drunkard said the addicts should not be given liquid cash but need to be equipped with skills to enable them to live decent lives.
"They end up using the money to indulge in alcoholism and drug abuse turning the rehabilitation exercise into a money-wasting affair," said Muchiri.
To be the first to get the latest Political News updates for free, WhatsApp the word "POLITICS" to 0717410719.