As the nightlife culture intensifies, so does some illegal habits. Among them are lowly phone thieves masquerading as patrons, the next category is the mchele ladies who spike drinks with stupefying substances to also steal and the one coming under fire by law enforcement is the use and distribution of a banned substance Shisha.
Despite Shisha being banned it has continued to be sold in various clubs within Eldoret. last Tuesday, two men were charged before Principal Magistrate Mogire Onkoba for violating the ban on the use of Shisha after they were reportedly arrested consuming the substance at a bar in Langas estate. They were charged with using Shisha contrary to section 169 of Public Health act of 2017, the duo pleaded guilty and were each fined Sh10,000 or serve jail terms of three months in prison.
Due to an increase in cases of using shisha, Uasin Gishu County police commander Ayub Gitonga has directed officers in the county to intensify crackdown of those involved in the illegal business of selling and serving customers in nightclubs with Shisha.
Mr Gitonga stated that the law is very clear and that smoking and/or general use of shisha is illegal. Anyone found smoking or using it will be arrested and charged in a court of law. This happened as he directed his officers to intensify the crackdown in all bars and clubs suspected of violating the ban.
So far more than a dozen people have been arraigned in court and charged with either smoking or selling Shisha against the law, many of the cases are from bars within Kapseret Sub County along Eldoret-Kisumu road where most of the arrested victims were either sellers or shisha customers. According to the law, if found guilty the accused risk facing a fine not exceeding Sh50,000 or imprisonment of not more than 6 months.
Report compiled from Timon Ominde (https://nairobinews.nation.africa/banned-shisha-smoking-makes-comeback-in-eldoret/)
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