The drug menace has wiped away our next generation. The government, more than ever before, must stand up and defend its future generation.
The state can not sit pretty as if all is well when our next generation is being murdered through drugs and substance abuse.
Time has come for the Ministry of Interior to activate its networks from the grassroots to the national level with a primary mandate to safeguard and protect our children most of whom have been recruited into the drug menace.
It is unfortunate that most young people have also adapted sophisticated ways of abusing drugs. The emergence of this modern methods of abusing drugs pose a challenge to not just parents at home but teachers as well.
We have witnessed a metamorphosis in the use of these drugs over the years from weeds to now pills that children swallow at their convenience.
As parents we have asked the government especially national administrators to weed out elements selling these drugs to our children.
Some of the known drug lords are walking scot free in this country despite their drug peddling networks being well known by the security agents.
To boldly address the drug menace and save our next generation, the state must crack down ruthlessly on these elements.
In schools, we have asked teachers to observes behavioral change among young people so as to timely respond to traits that depict the minds of troubled souls. That way they can help quickly by alerting parents so that those children are put under special care.
At the same time, as parents we have asked the government to clear all shanty buildings surrounding schools. Some of these kiosks around schools are obviously drug stores and distribution centres. They must be demolished completely to guarantee children's safety while in school.
We have seen some effort by the government to demolish these buildings around schools but much more needs to be done to completely clear them off.
Lastly, government agencies, parents and teachers must work in harmony to deal with this menace. At home parents must do their part and do random checks in children's bedrooms to establish if their young ones are partakers of drugs and take remedial measures.
The Kenya Parents Association spoke to the Star
