Two arrested at city club as NACADA cracks down on Shisha

Two people have been arrested at a city club as the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) intensifies its crackdown on Shisha dens.

The two were arrested on Wednesday night after NACADA’s enforcement officers raided Paris Lounge in Lang’ata and confiscated a large consignment of shisha products.

The enforcement operation was led by NACADA’s Director of Compliance and Enforcement, James Koskei, who said the sting operation is part of routine compliance checks targeting illegal shisha trade in the city.

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“NACADA is the body mandated to control alcohol and drug abuse in the country. We are here this evening on our normal routine compliance checks on this facility. We are coming here specifically to enforce the shisha rules," said Koskei.

Koskei said that the crackdown follows a court of appeal ruling that upheld Gazette Notice No. 292 of 2017, which bans the sale, promotion, and use of shisha in Kenya. The appellate court dismissed a petition challenging the ban, giving NACADA full legal backing to enforce the law.

“We all know that the shisha rules under Gazette Notice No. 292 of 2017 are in force. Our Court of Appeal in December managed to throw away the petition that had been filed against that particular Gazette Notice,” Koskei explained.

During the raid, NACADA officers seized 39 shisha bongs, 11 cartons of charcoal, 12 cartons of assorted flavours, and 13 charcoal carriers. Two individuals, a shisha seller and a supervisor, were arrested.

“This is a warning that we are giving to other sellers, manufacturers, and those who offer shisha for sale and use. Now that the law allows us to enforce this, we are coming to you. We want to ask all Kenyans and all business people that it is illegal to deal in shisha,” said Koskei.

NACADA has vowed to intensify its enforcement efforts across the country to ensure compliance with the ban. The authority urged business owners to steer clear of shisha trade to avoid legal repercussions.

The shisha ban was first introduced in 2017 due to health concerns, with authorities citing its harmful effects, including exposure to toxic chemicals and increased risk of respiratory diseases.

Despite the prohibition, illegal shisha dens have continued to operate in parts of the country.