The Ministry of Health, through the division of drug and substance abuse control within the state department of public health, together with a team of law enforcement agencies, conducted a coordinated crackdown on several illegal shisha outlets in Nairobi last weekend.
Shisha, also known as hookah or a waterpipe, is a method of smoking tobacco through a device where the smoke is passed through water before being inhaled.
It involves heating flavored tobacco with charcoal, and the smoke is drawn through a hose and mouthpiece after passing through a water bowl.
During the operation, several offenders were arrested and multiple shisha delivery systems were impounded.
In a press statement today, Health Principal Secretary Mary Muriuki said that the operation is a critical step in the ongoing efforts to enforce the national shisha ban and safeguard public health.
The PS emphasized that the enforcement exercise is just the beginning and that operations to enforce the shisha ban will continue countrywide until the ban is upheld to the fullest.
“The ministry of health remains committed to protecting the health of our citizens and will work tirelessly to eliminate violations of this ban,” Muriuki said.
She urged the public to support their efforts by reporting any illegal shisha outlets to the relevant authorities.
“Together we can ensure a healthier future for our youth and all future generations,” the PS said, also confirming that those arrested were arraigned in court today for violating the law.
The Ministry of Health (MoH) reaffirmed that the ban on the importation, manufacture, sale, and use of shisha in Kenya remains firmly in place, saying that the prohibition, enacted in 2017 under public health regulations, continues to be enforced due to the serious health risks associated with shisha smoking.
– By Wangari Ndirangu
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