University and technical college students in Turkana County have taken to the streets of Lodwar in a campaign against alcohol and drug abuse, warning that substance use is increasingly threatening the health, education and future of young people.
The students, operating under the umbrella of The Comrades Voice, held a peace walk through Lodwar as part of efforts to raise awareness on the dangers of alcohol and substance abuse.
The campaign comes amid growing concern from health authorities over the impact of substance use in Turkana, with alcohol identified as the leading substance of abuse in the county.
During a similar awareness campaign in Lodwar recently, NACADA coordinator for Turkana and West Pokot, Scola Komen said alcohol remained the most abused substance in Turkana.
“Alcohol remains the most abused substance in Turkana County,” Komen said.
She said people affected by substance abuse could seek treatment at Lodwar County Referral Hospital, with referrals made to rehabilitation facilities outside the county where necessary.
Komen also disclosed that, at the time, Turkana did not have a NACADA-accredited rehabilitation facility.
The latest county government performance data points to the scale of the response being mounted, but also highlights gaps in treatment infrastructure.
According to Turkana’s 2024/25 Annual Programme Performance Report, the county conducted six alcohol and substance-abuse counselling sessions, six community-based psychosocial trainings and 10 public barazas. It also formed 32 Alcoholics Anonymous groups and carried out six inspections of alcoholic-drink outlets.
However, the county recorded zero rehabilitation centres constructed during the financial year, against a target of one.
Students warn against peer pressure
Speaking during the Lodwar campaign, The Comrades Voice student leader Alfayo Etabo said young people were increasingly being exposed to drugs and alcohol, with the problem contributing to idleness and other social problems.
Etaabu challenged young people to reject peer pressure and instead use their energy in education, employment, entrepreneurship and community development.
“Young people should come out strongly and engage in development instead of involving themselves in behaviours that can destroy their future,” Etaabu said.
He also warned young people against allowing relationships and peer groups to influence their decisions on alcohol and drugs.
He said young people should not feel pressured to drink or use drugs simply to gain acceptance from friends or partners.
The students used the walk to educate residents on the effects of substances including bhang, warning that drug use can affect mental health, physical wellbeing and a person’s ability to pursue their goals.
Health authorities raise alarm
The student campaign follows growing concern within the county health department.
In October 2025, Turkana health officials held a meeting in Lodwar to discuss the effects of alcohol and drug abuse, describing the problem as one that was affecting several areas of public health, including reproductive, maternal and adolescent health, nutrition, HIV and AIDS, tuberculosis and mental health.
The county’s Mental Health Lead, Ibrahim Echuman, also warned that the problem extended beyond alcohol.
“Other drugs like miraa, muguka, bhang, and glue are taking a serious toll on our young people,” Echuman said.
The county health officials identified peer influence, economic hardship, family and social pressures, trauma, depression, easy access to alcohol and weak enforcement as some of the factors contributing to substance abuse in Turkana.
In February 2026, the county launched its first County Mental Health Council, with health officials saying increasing substance misuse was contributing to psychosocial stress in communities already facing drought, food insecurity and displacement. The council is expected to coordinate mental-health and psychosocial-support interventions across the county.
NACADA’s latest nationwide survey on the status of drugs and substance use was conducted in 2022 and published in 2023. The survey covers people aged 15–65 and provides estimates at national and regional levels. It does not provide a current 2024–2026 prevalence rate for individual counties such as Turkana.
Nationally, NACADA found that 18 per cent of Kenyans aged 15–65 had used at least one drug or substance in the previous month. Alcohol was the most commonly used substance, with a past-month prevalence of 11.8 per cent.
The survey found that men had higher levels of substance use than women, while people aged 25–35 were the most affected age group.
For lifetime use, alcohol stood at 19.4 percent nationally, compared with 3.4 per cent for cannabis. Lifetime use of cocaine and heroin was each below one per cent nationally.
NACADA also found that 4.6 per cent of Kenyans aged 15–65 had used miraa in their lifetime, with the rate substantially higher among men than women.
These national figures provide context for the problem but should not be interpreted as Turkana-specific prevalence figures.
A treatment gap remains
The shortage of rehabilitation infrastructure remains one of the biggest challenges facing Turkana.
While the county has expanded counselling, psychosocial support, community awareness and enforcement activities, its 2024/25 performance report recorded no rehabilitation centre constructed during the financial year.
The gap comes as the county government seeks to strengthen mental-health services and integrate substance-abuse interventions into the wider health system.
For the students behind the Lodwar peace walk, however, prevention remains the first line of defence.
They are calling for greater awareness in schools and communities and for young people to be supported to pursue education, skills development, employment and entrepreneurship.
Their message is that the fight against drugs cannot be won through arrests alone. It will require prevention, counselling, treatment, rehabilitation and, above all, meaningful opportunities for Turkana’s young population.
