Residents of Kisumu have given mixed reactions over the intentions of the Kenya Film Classification Board by led Ezekiel Mutua to bar the media from carrying on advertisements on gambling, something he said was spoiling the youth who become lazy while believing in getting rich quickly through betting.
Speaking during a workshop on Music Trainers and Adjudicators of Kenya National Music Festival at Tom Mboya Labour College in Kisumu, Mr Mutua said that gambling will produce a generation that believes in luck as a way to become rich without working hard.
"The craze of gambling and betting has taken root in this country to build lazy generations that you can hit the jackpot and become rich overnight," said Mr Mutua.
This has however, not gone well with a section of Kisumu residents who believe that the KFCB boss has overstepped his mandate by imposing 'unnecessary' rules that 'do not make sense'.
They say that Mr Mutua should not take Kenyans back to the old days.
"The actions by Mr Mutua to threaten banning all advertisements in gambling is not a good thing for this generation. Why is he over stepping his mandate as a a film classification board to the roles performed by other bodies?"asked Martin Oloo.
To Paul Ochieng', the actions by Mr Mutua will not be in good faith. He wondered what was wrong with people betting.
To him, the rot has already happened and that banning adverts on betting and gambling will not stop people from gambling. He joked that gambling is a new way of life and that there is no looking back.
However, to Mary Anyango, the rule decision will bring back sanity to the society and more so to the youths who have become 'lazy' and resort to gambling and betting.