Joshua Kato
16 July 2008
Kampala — Local leaders in many areas of the city are worried about the out-of-control incidences of drug abuse in their areas. According to social surveys, hundreds of youth are engaged in smoking and abusing drugs. And if drastic efforts are not taken, the situation will worsen.
The slums across the city are ruled by bhang smoking youth, who decide who should or should not move at night. Drug abuse has become a pastime for these redundant youth and students, thus spurring crime across the country. Murder, rape and robberies that ravaged the different parts of the country at the beginning of this year were related to drug abuse.
In Kampala, according to Police reports, Kawempe Division leads in drug abuse. "It is a very bad situation, but we are not sure of what to do," says Florence Kyambade, the LC1 chairperson of Dungu Zone, Kawempe Division.
Minister of State for Children Affairs Maj. James Kinobe says: "We are headed for disaster if the rate at which drugs are being abused by the youth is not stopped. It is a pity that the youth are being destroyed.We have received reports from schools that students have gone as far as injecting themselves with drugs."
According to a survey, there are runners in every city suburb. A runner is a person who takes drugs from one place to the other and ironically, though these people are known by the Police, they are yet to be arrested. "We know the people who run drugs, but the laws are so lenient that when we arrest them, the sentences are very small," a Police officer at Kawempe Police Station says. The Kampala Extra regional spokesman Simeo Nsubuga agrees the laws are weak.
RDC Edward Ssekabanja says in Kawempe, the youth smoke drugs around Kibe and Katale zones and along the Northern Bypass, Kimombasa in Bwaise, Kisaasi, especially in Kikulu zone, Kyebando-Katale zone, Kisalosalo and Lugoba. "We are overwhelmed," one LC1 official in Lugoba says.
In Kibe zone, local leaders say drugs can be picked through open networks of dealers. "You do not have to search a lot to find drugs if you need them," Ssekabanja says. He says almost 80% of the youth in the area have either used or know somebody who is using drugs.
Mairungi, a common addictive drug is yet to be banned under the Ugandan law. In Kimombasa, a strong smell of bhang hits you the moment you step into the slum. It would not take you long to find the smokers. A chief runner, who goes by many names including 'fire', Ppopi and Bin Laden, oversees the supply chain. He is said to be a former street kid, who has advanced in crime through the years.
In Kyebando, formerly a very quiet suburb, drugs are smoked around most video halls in the market. "We have called the Police numerous times and they have arrested some of these people. However, they return days later," says one of the residents.
In Kireka and Bweyogerere, residents say drugs are like a daily meal.
"We were stunned when we discovered mairungi being commercially grown by some people around Kyaliwajjala," says the Kira Town Council mayor, Mamerito Mugerwa. The plants were uprooted but the 'producers' relocated. Makindye LC3 chairman Moses Kalungi says the rate at which the weed is smoked in the division is 'very alarming'.
How drug abuse starts
A research by Rogers Kasirye of the Uganda Youth Development Link indicates that many youth view drugs as a class thing. Abusing drugs starts just like any other peer pressure indulgence. Some start by smoking cigarettes or drinking. With time, cigarettes become boring and soon the youth turn to drugs.
"It started in our group. Henry brought one stick and we smoked it. We became high and felt tough. The next day, he brought two sticks and we smoked them. It became a routine. I started stealing money from home to buy the sticks," says Simon Kintu. Kintu now plays football with one of the First Division teams.
Because they do not have enough money to buy drugs, they start stealing. This stealing develops into full-time employment.
According to Police records, most of the thugs rounded up in operations between April and June were both robbers and drug addicts.
In some areas idleness of the youth is blamed. "There are many unemployed youth who engage in drug abuse in my area," says Kyambade. Sometimes, even the local leaders are afraid of clamping down on drug abusers for fear that they might turn against them.
In the Kibe zone, for example: "Some of the SPCs who are supposed to fight it are engaged in the trade," says Charles Mukasa, a resident of Kalerwe. He says this is one of the reasons drug abuse has persisted.
Way forward
Local leaders agree that the most effective way of fighting drugs would be through a collective effort by involving families, communities, security forces and Parliament.
Kinobe blames the consistent use of drugs on weak laws: "The law against those who traffick drugs is tough, however the law against those who use the drugs is lax," he says.
Laws governing drug abuse in the country are very lenient and should be enhanced.
"While we blame ourselves for the drugs, we should also say that Parliament and MPs in particular are also responsible for keeping this drugs problem afloat. They have never come out with a tougher law against drug abuse," Mamerito Mugerwa says. He says parents should sensitise their children against drug abuse. "We should find ways of engaging them (the youth)," says Salim Uhuru, Kampala Central councillor for Kisenyi II parish. "Sports are a very engaging activity. Local leaders should engage the youth in their areas more in sports," Uhuru says. He holds annual football and boxing competitions in his area.
Unless the drugs abuse problem is handled, crime like robberies that rocked the city early this year, will continue.
Common drugs
- Leaves like Khat and mairungi which are grown in different parts of the country, for example Butambala and are eaten fresh. Kyaliwajjala, Nabweru and Kasenge in Wakiso are also known to produce big amounts of leafy drugs.
- Bhang which is dried, folded in paper and smoked
- Cocaine which is imported
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