Malindi Security Declares War on Drugs and Disco Matanga

By The COAST Reporter

Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com

The Malindi Subcounty Security Committee on October 20, 2023 declared war against drugs, disco matanga, child paedophiles and killing of elderly persons.

Deputy county commissioner David Lusava, speaking at Malindi town’s Cleopatra Grounds during this year’s Mashujaa Day, said the committee would use all the laws at its disposal to eradicate the menaces that had become rampant in the area.

The committee will target the drug dealers, the peddlers and the addicts in the fight to clean the town of that menace. It also ordered the removal of drug addicts camped outside the Malindi Subcounty Hospital after receiving methadone treatment.

“I though the drug menace ended when we impounded a haul of drugs worth more than Sh1 billion when I was a district officer here in 2004, but the menace seems to be persisting. We have identified the hotspots and those involved and we shall ensure this menace is eradicated once and for all,” Lusava said.

At the same time, the government will not allow discos to be played in funerals especially during national examinations slated from next month warning that those who will host such will be arrested and prosecuted.

In support of the DCC sentiments, Malindi subcounty commandant Wilmont Mwakio said his officers would be on the lookout for organisers of disco matangas saying they should allowed children to go to school instead of attending those unnecessary discos.

The two security committee officers blame the poor education performance on the drug menace and disco matangas in the area vowing to eradicate them once and for all.

On his part, Lusava urged parents to ensure that their children attended schools warning them of dire consequences if they are found to allowing their children to engage or attend such functions.

He also warned those who were reportedly defiling young girls and boys saying their days are numbered and would ‘soon’ face the full force of the law.

On the radar is also a group of ‘professional squatters’ known as team mashamba that invade private land, subdivide and sell to unsuspecting members of the public. Such cases have been in the increase in the subcounty.

The committee is also monitoring the killing of elderly person on allegations of practising witchcraft warning that it will take drastic measures against family members of victims condoning the vice by rounding them up and prosecuting them.

Kilifi County Prisons Commander Onesmus Kyalo, who is also in charge of the Malindi GK Prison, said that many inmates at the correctional facility were elderly persons aged over 60 years that had been convicted of defilement charges.

According to him there was need for these people to be counselled saying it was not normal for such old persons to commit sexual offences against children.

A gender rights activist Helder Lameck also raised concern cases of defilement were on the increase saying she was disturbed by the trend of elderly people destroying innocent children’s lives.

She called on the security apparatus to step in and take action against such extremely old men taking advantage of minors through defilement.