The Nakuru County government is yet to establish a public smoking zone in the town even as smokers continue being harassed by the county officers.
The smokers are calling for the establishment of a public smoking zone in Nakuru town to deal with the harassment.
Nakuru town was the first in Kenya to pass the smoking by-law but has not implemented it. According to Tobacco Control Alliance’s Fred Adhiambo, smoke-free public places were approved and became operational on April 5 2007.
Odhiambo said, “The by-law comprehensively prohibited smoking in public and work places and extended to prohibiting smoking on streets.”
“It required the owner of a public place to make a provision for an outdoor smoking zone since smoking zones were not permitted indoors,” added Odhiambo.
Smokers caught by the council askaris are charged between Sh200 and Sh1,000, but they are never taken to court.
James Kaniaru, a smoker, said: “We are forced to smoke inside toilets where the askaris cannot find us. There is no smoking zone in Nakuru and we are suffering a lot.”
According to a council askari who sought anonymity, they are forced to take bribes because there are no designated places for smokers.
“We are forced to run up and down through the streets and when questioned by the smoker, we fail to give an appropriate answer."
However, the Nakuru County assembly has set aside a smoking zone within the perimeter of the assembly.