PS correctional services Salome Beacco , Meru County Commissioner Jacob Ouma and PS Public Health Mary Muthoni in Meru for the Jamii Imara initiative.
Leaders from across the Mount Kenya region converged in Meru under the Jamii Imara initiative, a government program aimed at strengthening families and tackling social challenges affecting communities.
Principal Secretaries, directors, chairs of national government agencies, and the County Commissioner met residents to listen, share solutions, and outline government efforts in addressing the pressing issues of gender-based violence, drug and substance abuse, sexual offences, and public health crises.
Principal Secretary for Correctional Services, Salome Beacco, said the leaders’ mission was to connect government policy with the realities on the ground.
“We came here as accounting officers to tell Wanjiku what we do on behalf of the President and the national government. We must step up family restoration, expand counseling sessions in schools, hospitals, and churches, and use a whole-of-government approach to reduce substance abuse and protect our children,” she said.
The challenges facing Meru are sobering. Rising cases of gender-based violence, rape, sodomy, family conflict, and murders were singled out as urgent concerns. The link between substance abuse and sexual offences was repeatedly emphasized, with NACADA officials outlining government prevention and rehabilitation measures.
Meru MP Abdul Rahim Dawood raised concern over rising drug abuse among schoolchildren.
“Substance abuse starts early. Even in schools, children experiment, thinking drugs will make life better. They later find themselves lost and struggling. I thank the PS for recognizing this issue and joining us in finding solutions,” he said.
Director of Public Health Meru, John Inanga, spotlighted the growing burden of non-communicable diseases.
“In Meru we rank number four nationally in TB cases. It is a huge burden. Community Health Promoters are helping households seek screening and treatment, but we need broader research and stronger interventions,” he said.
Principal Secretary for Public Health, Mary Muthoni, announced that Meru will host a new cessation and rehabilitation center to combat long-standing addiction challenges.
“Procurement is complete and construction will soon begin. This center will give hope to those battling addiction,” she said.
She further warned against the sale of harmful substances to children, citing the rise of electronic cigarettes and nicotine pouches.
“Some products arrive labeled For Sale in Kenya Only. Why not other countries? Our children are being destroyed. Some drop out as early as Form Two. We must act firmly to protect them,” she said.
The PS also made an emotional appeal for cancer screening, recalling personal losses.
“I buried my father and two sisters because of cancer. Please, go for screening even if you feel well. Early detection can save lives,” she urged.
PS Salome Beacco raised the alarm over sexual offences and their impact on prisons and public health.
“Meru now records the highest HIV incidence rates. Nearly half of our prison population is incarcerated for sexual offences. Over 1,000 men here are serving time for rape, sodomy, and gender-based violence. Our prisons are overcrowded, and this has worsened the spread of HIV and STIs,” she warned.
She confirmed that by the end of the year, all inmates will be registered with the Social Health Authority to ensure access to treatment.
The Jamii Imara session closed with leaders pledging to intensify family restoration programs, strengthen counseling in schools, hospitals, and churches, and enforce measures to shield children from drugs and exploitation.
Meru, they agreed, is on the frontline of Kenya’s fight against substance abuse, sexual offences, and non-communicable diseasesand the solutions must be urgent.
