Two individuals have been arrested at a city club as the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) intensifies its crackdown on illegal shisha dens in Kenya.
The arrests took place on Wednesday night after NACADA enforcement officers raided Paris Lounge in Lang’ata, seizing a significant quantity of shisha-related products. The operation is part of an ongoing effort to enforce Kenya’s 2017 shisha ban, which prohibits the sale, promotion, and use of the product across the country.
The raid was led by James Koskei, NACADA’s Director of Compliance and Enforcement, who reiterated that the operation was part of routine compliance checks targeting businesses engaging in the illegal sale of shisha.
“NACADA is responsible for regulating and controlling alcohol and drug abuse in the country. Tonight, we are conducting a routine inspection at this facility to ensure compliance with the shisha ban,” Koskei stated.
This latest crackdown follows a recent ruling by the Court of Appeal, which reaffirmed Gazette Notice No. 292 of 2017, the law banning shisha in Kenya. The court dismissed a petition challenging the ban, providing NACADA with full legal authority to enforce the law.
“The Court of Appeal upheld the shisha ban in December, dismissing the petition that sought to overturn Gazette Notice No. 292 of 2017,” Koskei added.
During the operation, NACADA officers confiscated:
39 shisha bongs – Used for smoking shisha
11 cartons of charcoal – Essential for heating shisha flavors
12 cartons of assorted flavored tobacco – A key component of shisha smoking
13 charcoal carriers – Used in shisha preparation
The two individuals arrested include a shisha seller and a club supervisor, who are now facing legal action for violating the Public Health (Control of Shisha Smoking) Rules, 2017.
On February 2, 2025, the Ministry of Health issued a reminder that the ban on shisha smoking, enacted in 2017, remains in full effect. The law, under the Public Health Act, strictly prohibits the manufacture, importation, sale, and use of shisha across the country.
Individuals or establishments found guilty of engaging in the illegal shisha trade face serious consequences, including:
A fine of up to KSh 50,000
Imprisonment for up to six months
Both a fine and imprisonment
The Ministry of Health has urged Kenyans to comply with the regulations, emphasizing that the government remains committed to eradicating shisha use.
“The Ministry of Health, together with other government agencies, remains fully committed to enforcing this ban and urges all Kenyans to comply,” the ministry said in a statement.
Shisha, a flavored tobacco product smoked through a water pipe, poses severe health risks, including:
Respiratory diseases
Increased risk of heart disease
Exposure to high levels of toxic chemicals
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a one-hour shisha session can expose a person to as much smoke as 100 cigarettes, making it a major health concern.
Despite a legal challenge to the ban in 2018, both the High Court and the Court of Appeal upheld the prohibition. Most recently, on December 23, 2024, the Court of Appeal once again ruled in favor of the ban, emphasizing that public health concerns must take priority over commercial interests.
Kenya was among the first East African countries to impose a shisha ban in 2017, following the footsteps of Uganda, Tanzania, and Rwanda, which had already implemented similar restrictions.
With the latest court ruling providing NACADA with full legal backing, the authority has vowed to intensify its nationwide crackdown on businesses that continue to flout the shisha ban.
“Our enforcement teams will remain vigilant and will continue carrying out compliance checks to ensure that shisha is completely eradicated in Kenya,” Koskei affirmed.
NACADA has urged the public to report any businesses illegally selling or promoting shisha, as the government remains firm in its stance against the harmful substance.
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