The National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) has called for the expansion of specialised courts to handle cases involving narcotics, psychotropic substances and organised crime.
Nacada Board Chair Dr Stephen Mairori made the request during a courtesy call on Chief Justice Martha Koome on Monday.
Mairori praised the Judiciary for establishing specialised courts to hear cases involving the possession and trafficking of narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances.
He called for additional specialised magistrates’ courts in Embu and Eldoret to improve access to justice. He also proposed the reinstatement of Shanzu Law Court in Mombasa as a specialised court serving the Coast region.
The Nacada chair further called for the establishment of a High Court with specialised jurisdiction over organised crime.
“We appreciate the specialised courts already in place, but coverage must expand. Embu and Eldoret need dedicated magistrates’ courts, and Shanzu should be reinstated to serve the Coast region effectively,” he said.
Mairori also sought capacity building and training for judicial officers and court users on alcohol and drug abuse issues.
He called for research and information sharing on drug abuse and crime data, as well as joint public education and prevention programmes.
The Nacada chair also proposed closer collaboration between the authority and the Judiciary, including the development of modalities for establishing recovery treatment courts.
Chief Justice Koome welcomed the proposals, saying the Judiciary was committed to a coordinated response.
“The Judiciary is ready to deepen collaboration with Nacada. Training, data sharing and public education are critical, and we will explore modalities for recovery treatment courts to ensure justice is both firm and restorative,” she said.
Recovery treatment courts were among the proposals discussed as part of efforts to strengthen the justice system’s response to drug abuse and organised crime.
The two institutions agreed to strengthen inter-agency cooperation.
Technical teams from Nacada and the Judiciary are expected to meet to develop frameworks for training, information sharing and the proposed specialised courts.
