Police in Murang’a have set ablaze 48 gambling machines in a move aimed at eradicating illegal activities in the county.
This comes amidst intensified efforts and crackdowns on illegal activities like drug and substance abuse, adulterated alcohol, illegal liquor outlets and gambling machines.
The county launched a 100 day Rapid Response Initiative, aimed at curbing activities that threaten public safety and erode the moral fabric of the society.
Leading the exercise that brought together Kandara and Murang’a South sub-counties, Murang’a South Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Bernard Odino observed that the government will not relent in eradicating illegal activities.
“Today we have destroyed 48 gambling machines. This crackdown will continue and I want to urge those in such businesses to look for other legal means of earning a living,” he said.
“Gambling, especially in these areas of Kenol and Kandara has been a thorn in the flesh for long, with homes getting broken and the worst of it all is that school-going children are engaging in the vice at the expense of their studies,” added Odino.
At the same time, gambling had enabled a stealing culture, even amongst children, because when you send a child to the shop, they end up in gambling and betting machine premises.
Odino urged those that still had the machines to surrender them to the police, as the crackdown would not stop.
“We will continue destroying them to ensure they do not find their way back to the community,” he reiterated.
A parent from the Katipanga area, Kenol, who witnessed the machines being set ablaze, could not hide her joy, as they had become a menace in her household.
“My 13- and 10 years old boys are addicted to this gambling; last holiday I spent much time searching for them in those premises,” said Mary Muthoni.
“In these very hard economic times, I cannot even save a coin, as whatever they come across ends up in gambling, to the extent of even stealing my money,” she said.
As the huge inferno consumed the machines one by one, Muthoni was optimistic that sanity would finally return to her home and that her young children would be able to concentrate on their studies henceforth.
The DCC also sent a strong warning to business owners who are operating bars and liquor outlets outside the stipulated hours.
“Stick to the stipulated hours of doing business, carry out legal business and we will not have an issue with you,” he said.
By Florence Kinyua
