Members of the clergy in Kiambu County have called upon area residents to accept reforming drug users back into the society to facilitate their rehabilitation.
Speaking during a workshop for the youth at the Overcomers Chapel in kikuyu town on Saturday, Pastor Steve Matara urged the congregation not to judge drug addicts too harshly, as most of them would be resourceful if given a chance to reform.
He said the church was on a mission to reach out to drug addicts by offering them free counseling services since they were part of the society.
“We must know that they are our brothers and sisters. Therefore we cannot shut them out but to assist them retrace their steps and reform for an integrated society where people should be their brothers’ keeper” he said.
Speaking from his office in Kiambu, another preacher, Reverend Vincent Kamiri of St Peter and Paul Catholic Church said that the society needs to show love and acceptance to drug addicts in order to help them in their road to recovery.
The cleric noted that many young potential people in Kiambu have been hooked to drugs, which have rendered them unproductive.
“Therefore, it requires urgent intervention of the residents, the church and other leaders to join hands so as to eradicate this menace,” he said
Reverend Kamiri added that the Catholic Church in Kiambu recently came up with a rehabilitation programme to help drug users mend their ways.
He said a group of around 30 people were currently undergoing a rehabilitation session, and have shown good progress.
We hope to equip them with various skills such as carpentry, plumbing, tailoring to keep them busy, and away from drugs
Reverend Kamiri further urged county government leadership to help drug addicts by establishing more rehabilitation centres in the area, noting they are very few which were affordable to the public.