Drug Abuse and Radicalization Derailing Literacy in Mombasa
Elkana Jacob Youth leader (in Navy blue) confers with an official . (Photo By Mbungu Harrison)
By Mbungu Harrison
Email, thecoastnewspaper@gmail.com
At the heart of Mombasa, where vibrant culture meets coastal charm, a quiet crisis is threatening the future of an entire generation.
Drug abuse, juvenile crimes, radicalization, and shrinking access to education are dragging down literacy levels and limiting opportunities for the youth.
To counter this, Elkana Jacob — a dynamic youth leader, and former Star journalist, and respected security expert — is offering bold solutions.
Passionate about community empowerment, Jacob is sounding the alarm and offering practical solutions to a problem many would rather ignore.
“We must face reality. Drug abuse, radicalisation, and lack of access to higher education continue to pull us back. These issues are not just security or moral concerns they are literacy issues too.”
During a community engagement in Nyali subcounty, he laid out a multi-faceted strategy to address the crisis head-on.
The journalist-cum-aspirant called for the expansion of youth rehabilitation programs to help former addicts return to schools or colleges.
This, according to him, will enhance anti-radicalisation campaigns in both the schools and neighbourhoods through establishing more tertiary institutions, polytechnics and vocational training centres to give young people opportunities to practical skills and sustainable careers.
“Literacy is not merely a skill, but a fundamental human right and a powerful force for transformation,” he told a gathering of educators, residents, and local leaders in Frere-Town ward.
Jacob, who is eyeing the Nyali parliamentary seat, emphasises the urgency of investing in digital literacy warning that neglecting access to digital tools and training will only widen the gap between the privileged and the disadvantaged in the digital space.
“Digital literacy is now just as important as traditional literacy. We must ensure that no child, no adult, and no community is left behind in this digital revolution.”
Currently on a grassroots tour across the Nyali constituency, the aspirant is urging communities to recognize literacy as more than a development goal, but a foundation of equality, dignity, and opportunity.
Although Mombasa once recorded high literacy rates with 91% of males and 81% of females considered literate as of 2013 — Jacob warns that these figures can be misleading.
In his view, behind the statistics lie harsh realities: young people dropping out of school due to addiction, and others being lured into extremist ideologies that not only derail education but endanger long-term peace and development.
He referenced Article 53(1)(b) of the 2010 Constitution of Kenya which guarantees every child free and compulsory basic education.
However, Jacob stresses that legal provisions are not enough when vulnerable populations — especially in urban and coastal regions — continue to fall through the cracks.
However, one story stands out as a beacon of hope: Khadija Primary School. Actually, over 150 adults have joined evening classes through an adult education program.
These learners, many of them parents are rewriting their futures one lesson at a time.
“This is living proof that it is never too late to pursue education,” Jacob said during International Literacy Day celebrations at the Rise and Shine Centre in Frere-Town Ward.
He urged the community to uphold literacy as a basic human right for all, to use education as a tool for personal and societal development, and to embrace digital learning as a path toward future opportunities.
He also called for peace, unity, and strong governance, reminding residents that education can only thrive in a stable and supportive environment.
“Let us build a community where people are proud to live, invest, and prosper,” he said. “I pledge to work hand in hand with residents, leaders, and security agencies to make that vision a reality.”
Elkana Jacob is a rising voice in Nyali Sub-County as a communication consultant, criminologist, and security analyst. His work focuses on empowering communities through education, promoting public safety, and advocating for sustainable development.
