Mombasa County has announced plans to intensify a crackdown on muguka outlets operating near schools after an anonymous survey involving more than 12,800 secondary school students revealed that nearly one in four learners could easily access the stimulant close to their learning institutions.
Mombasa Governor Abdulswamad Nassir said the findings had exposed a worrying trend that required urgent intervention from both county authorities and the national security agencies.
According to the survey, 23.8 per cent of the students interviewed said they could obtain muguka near their schools, raising concerns over the availability of drugs and other harmful substances around learning institutions.
Abdulswamad said the county would prioritise the issue during security meetings, arguing that protecting children from drug abuse was more important than any political considerations.
"We cannot allow muguka, miraa and sachet alcohol outlets to operate near our learning institutions. Leave our children alone," he said.
The governor acknowledged that previous enforcement operations had only produced temporary results, with traders returning shortly after county officers left the affected areas.
He said the county government would engage the judiciary and security agencies to explore tougher measures against repeat offenders, arguing that existing enforcement efforts had failed to deter illegal traders from resuming business near schools.
According to Abdulswamad, some vendors have resorted to operating from makeshift stalls or simply displaying muguka in boxes outside schools, making enforcement difficult and creating what he described as a continuous game of "hide and seek" with authorities.
He called on security agencies to adopt a firmer approach against individuals who continue selling muguka and other prohibited substances near schools, saying children should not be exploited for commercial gain.
The announcement comes amid growing concern over drug and substance abuse among young people in Mombasa, with county leaders warning that the increasing accessibility of such substances around schools poses a significant threat to learners' health, safety and education.
The planned crackdown will target outlets selling Muguka, miraa, sachet alcohol and other substances considered harmful to school-going children, as the county seeks to reduce their availability around educational institutions.
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