The National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) has shut down a rehab centre in Kiambu County, following discovery of deplorable conditions during an unannounced inspection.
The raid, conducted by Nacada’s Compliance and Enforcement team alongside Public Health officials, exposed a facility operating far below acceptable health and safety standards.
According to Nacada, investigators found disturbing conditions in the centre.
“Several clients were visibly ill yet receiving no proper medical attention. The living quarters reeked of neglect; torn, soiled mattresses were strewn across poorly ventilated dormitories, while filthy toilets posed serious health risks,” Nacada said.
The authority added that the kitchen, where meals were prepared for vulnerable patients, was in a disgraceful state, with food stored in unsanitary conditions that could easily cause disease outbreaks.
“Perhaps most alarming was the complete absence of qualified medical or counselling staff to care for people struggling with addiction,” Nacada added.
Nacada CEO Anthony Omerikwa stated that the condition was not just substandard, but a criminal exploitation of vulnerable Kenyans.
He stated that the authority will not tolerate such rehabilitation centres that “operate as human warehouses rather than places of healing”.
“Effective immediately, we are launching nationwide inspections to root out every illegal facility preying on desperate families,” he said.
Omerikwa emphasised that while Kenya faces a severe shortage of treatment centres, compromising on standards cannot be an option.
There are 139 accredited facilities out of 255 inspected by Nacada serving an estimated 3.2 million people with substance use disorders.
"Recovery must happen with dignity, not in conditions that negate that principle," he stated, warning that unlicensed operators would face the full force of the law.
Following the immediate closure, Nacada coordinated the safe transfer of all clients to approved facilities while notifying families to assist with relocation.
The authority has urged the public to verify rehabilitation centre licenses through official channels and report suspicious operations via their toll-free line 1192.
The crackdown comes amid growing concerns about the proliferation of unregulated treatment centres capitalising on Kenya's addiction crisis.
