At 10 am on a fairly bright Saturday morning of November 23, the 3rd Edition of Kaa Sober (Stay Woke) Concert breathed life into a jubilant crowd of youth and children drawn across the lakeside city.
With high expectations, they jam-packed the classrooms, football fields, and tents for a day full of learning and fun in an event held at Manyatta Primary School.
The much-needed messages of Hope, Health and Resilience constantly reverberated in the air as officials from National Authority Campaigns Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse(NACADA), Blue Cross Kenya and other stakeholders engaged them.
‘This is the time they can easily be initiated into drug use and our statistics show that drug use begins at a very young age. We use these kinds of forums to share information and to give them preventive strategies on how not to get into drug and alcohol abuses’-simon mwangi, nacada
They centred on the dangers posed by alcohol and drug abuse while at the same time enlightening the youth to make healthier choices.
In different classrooms and tents, learning sessions also focused on the essence of Climate Change and Environment, Children’s Rights, Mental health, Menstrual Hygiene, Sexual Reproductive Health(SHR), Sexual Gender Violence(SGBV), and Arts and Creativity among other issues.
Party after party
Simon Mwangi, Deputy Director Corporate Communications at NACADA said that the concert was meant to address a key segment of children during the long school holidays.
“This is the time they can easily be initiated into drug use and our statistics show that drug use begins at a very young age. We use these kinds of forums to share information and to give them preventive strategies on how not to get into drug and alcohol abuses,’’ Mwangi emphasized.
In the lead-up to the weekend show, NACADA held a roadshow on November 21, across the city to drum the same among the youth.
Brian Magwaro, Blue Cross Kenya official said that the yearly event is held to bring children from all over Kisumu to enjoy themselves and learn.
“We are here to celebrate and the most important message we are having today is for the youth to remain sober during the holidays,” Magwaro emphasized.
What statistics say
According to NACADA’s National Survey on the Status of Drugs and Substance Use (DSU) In Kenya (2022), tobacco products, alcohol and khat had the highest overall awareness at (97,95 and 88 percent) respectively among those aged between 15-65 years.
In the alcohol category, the highest prevalence is the current use of chang’aa, Nyanza registered 6.3 percent overall to come second to Western (11.4), with Rift Valley coming a distant third at (3.6).
Traditional liquor is more consumed, with Western region posting (12.9), Coast (7.4), and Nyanza (2.2) percent respectively.
The report shows that the average age for initiation of tobacco, alcohol, khat, cannabis, prescription drugs, cocaine and heroin was 16-20 years, at six, seven, eight, nine, 18 and 20 respectively.
“In the ages between 15-24 years, it showed addiction to various substances; one in every 45 youths (153,846); one in every 167 youths (45,806); one in every 125 youths (58,819); one in every 77 youths (90,531) were addicted to alcohol, tobacco, khat and cannabis respectively,” the report reads in part.
The current prevalence of drugs and substance use among the youth aged 15-24 years in Kenya is 5.2,3.2,3.6,2.7,0.1,3.8, and 8.9 for alcohol, tobacco, khat, cannabis, prescription drugs, polydrugs (multiple drugs), and at least one substance.
Risk factors
Substance use among the youth is exacerbated due to some of the known risk factors like low self-esteem, psychopathology, and poor relationship with parents among others.
In a related study by the National Council for Population and Development(NCPD) titled; “Youth at Risk: Alcohol and Drug Abuse(ADA) Kenya (2021/22),” alcohol kills more than AIDS, TB or violence. Tobacco causes four million deaths annually with the figure projected to rise to 1.6 million by the year.
Lilian Gitau, Kisumu County Drugs Prevention Representative assured that they are keen on reducing the menace among the residents, especially the youth.
“We are here to prevent our children from abusing drugs to a point whereby they have to seek treatment,” Gitau said.
It was not all learning without play as the children enjoyed good times with Bouncing Castle, table tennis, fashion and modelling, and other games invented by the children.
The duo emcees comprising Yvonne Acholla Akoth and Duncan Odada who go with the stage monikers MC Akothee and MC Dante respectively kept the crowd dancing as they requested an encore.
MC Akothee reiterated that the occasion helps in encouraging the youth to be sober at all times: day and night.
“I urge them to join the organizations which fight to safeguard their bright future in society. It’s during the holidays that most youth mess up their lives. The peer pressure is what makes most of them not to let go of the drug abuse,” MC Akothee appealed.
Her counterpart MC Dante, concurred by saying such events always assist in tapping into the youth’s skills and potential.
“These forums create time and a good space for the youth to have fun and interact together. I joined BlueCross when I was in class four. Am very grateful that seven years down the line they have shaped me to become a better person in life,” MC Dante who now awaiting to join university said.
MC Dante represents the youth on the organization’s board where he always articulates issues which affect them.
Need for collaboration
NACAD recommends that there should be enhanced collaboration between the national and county governments to scale up the joint enforcement efforts to control the production, distribution, sale, and consumption of illicit brews.
Full compliance with the ADCA 2010 especially under-age use and access to alcohol and liquor selling outlets, control of alcohol selling outlets near basic institutions of learning and residential areas; and control of alcohol advertisements among others.
Other stakeholders included Kenya Red Cross, TINADA, Make Me Smile, JaMtaka, Greenworld, Story Makers Society(SMS), HEDSO, and Mwangaza Arts Institute among others.
Timeless Noel, the Man-of-the Moment said that his ambassadorial role entails ensuring the youth are not led astray by the wrong people into drug abuse.
“I am here to support this initiative which is going to make not only the youth but everyone in Kisumu City stay sober. We are here to make the young people busy and to let them know they have a purpose in life,” Timeless a TV Presenter, and Gospel artist said during a press briefing.
He brought the curtains down with his scintillating performance which wowed the youth and children as they sang and danced along to the beats.
