Evaluation of Government Programs in Mitigating Drug and Substance Abuse in Kilifi and Mombasa Counties, Kenya

Abstract

The issue of drug and substance abuse has become a major concern in Kenya, particularly in the coastal region. In response, the government has implemented various programs to mitigate the problem. The objective of this paper was to evaluate the government's programs for mitigating drug and substance abuse in the Kilifi and Mombasa counties of the coastal region of Kenya. Social learning theory and functionalism theory served as the study's guiding principles. The study was further underpinned by the interpretivism approach. The study used descriptive and evaluative research designs, with data collected through interviews and focus group discussions. The study was conducted in Kilifi and Mombasa Counties. Data was collected from 552 respondents, who included 384 household heads, 20 victims, 2 county education officers, 2 county commissioners, 2 county health officers, 70 administrative chiefs, 102 village elders, 9 senior NACADA officers, and 8 religious leaders. The data collected included the existing programs that are directly or indirectly implemented by the government, as well as their impacts on the residents of the study area. Government programs in the study region focused on prevention, treatment, law enforcement, and harm reduction, proving effective to varying degrees. The study revealed that law enforcement programs were more effective than the others. The study recommended the re-evaluation of these programs, including reinforcing their weaknesses and conducting constant evaluations to maximize the strengths of the organizations.