Mombasa governor hopeful Suleiman Shahbal during campaigns in Free Town Mombasa on Wednesday. [Photo: Suleiman Shahbal/ facebook.com]
Mombasa is not home to drug peddlers and anyone involved in the business should leave the county, gubernatorial aspirant Suleiman Shahbal has said.
Shahbal said thousands of youth have been wasted because of the business and time has reached for bold steps to be taken to contain the situation.He said if elected governor, he will fight to halt drug peddling to protect the future of the youth.“I put on notice all drug peddlers on the streets,” he said while campaigning in Free Town on Wednesday.“Either you stop this illegal trade or leave Mombasa. August 8 should be your last day in Mombasa. Through citizen’s arrest, we will arrest and make sure you face the law. We must protect our youth. This is the time.”He said young people in the county have trust in him expressing confidence he will triumph against his rivals to clinch the seat of governor.Shahbal (Jubilee) is vying for governorship against incumbent Hassan Joho (ODM), Hassan Omar (Wiper) and Hezron Awiti.He has been critical of Joho’s government which he says has not little to help transform youth lives.Mombasa town has been on security agencies’ radar for a long time because the port acts as a gateway for importing drugs especially from Asia and South America.The county is home to some of the country’s largest drug rehabilitation centres- signaling the intensity of drug peddling and drug use in one of Kenya’s richest counties.Joho in 2016 said his administration will collaborate with other stakeholders to fight drug peddling and consumption which he said had negatively affected the lives of many.