President William Ruto has announced plans to establish rehabilitation centres in each of Kenya's 47 counties as part of a renewed national campaign against drug and substance abuse. The initiative will involve collaboration with county governments and NACADA, with patients covered under the Social Health Authority. The announcement followed a multi-agency meeting at State House on January 7, 2026.
President William Ruto announced these new measures after chairing a multi-agency meeting at State House on January 7, 2026, to discuss his New Year pledge to combat drug abuse. "We will establish rehabilitation centres in all 47 counties, working closely with county governments and NACADA, alongside strengthened rehabilitation services in national referral hospitals," President Ruto stated.
The government will also partner with enhanced rehabilitation units in national referral hospitals to aid treatment and recovery. Patients admitted to these centres will be covered by the Social Health Authority, which will expand coverage for therapy and rehabilitation.
To disrupt drug trafficking and organized crime, the government plans to deploy multi-agency border teams at five major entry points. The President disclosed that additional officers are being assigned to the Anti-Narcotics Unit, supported by specialized training and better logistics.
Ruto committed to a whole-of-government strategy that integrates prevention, enforcement, treatment, and recovery to protect citizens and national security. The administration is finalizing a legal framework to boost coordination and accountability among state agencies in this intensified national anti-drug campaign.
This State House meeting occurred one day after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen held a similar session, where he declared a nationwide operation against the distribution of illicit ethanol and drugs, including the seizure of assets bought with trafficking proceeds.
