The Kenyan government intends that not only every public place, but also shops and other outdoor businesses, and city markets, will have to have designated smoking areas.
This was stated by the Kenyan Minister of Health, Mary Muthoni, who pointed out that the decision goes hand in hand with the recent awareness campaign against drugs commonly and widely used among young people, from hookahs to cannabis.
‘Restaurants, hotels and other public places, even markets, must create smoking areas, and when I say smoking area, I mean a dedicated corner where someone can go to smoke. And if you really have to smoke, you will only have to use that designated smoking area,’ said the minister.
In reality, the real novelty is in public spaces such as markets, because the law on compulsory smoking areas in public places had already been approved years ago. But as often happens in Kenya, in the first months after the law was implemented, there were what you might call ‘fiscal’ controls and then, especially for open-air discos and beach clubs, everyone did as they pleased. With this new government directive, we can expect checks to start again, especially on the mandatory signage and on the fact that the areas must be clearly marked.

Last year, a Kenyan MP also introduced a bill to ban smoking altogether, along the lines of a law being passed in Sweden. Since the beginning of this year, smoking has been totally banned in the Scandinavian country.
In Kenya there are no ideological or health-related bans (other problems would have to be addressed first), but rather bans on smoking as the beginning of bad habits that include alcohol and drug abuse.
Muthoni said the government had started building detox centres across the country, specialised doctors and other public health officials, especially in tobacco-producing counties, to help with any kind of addiction.
‘If you are addicted to anything, particularly nicotine-containing products, we will make sure that the doctors and health workers at the centres will help you,’ the minister said.
The directive comes a few days after the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) accused private spaces such as Airbnb of facilitating drug abuse among young people and the illegal drug trade.
According to the Authority, 23% of young adults aged between 18 and 24 have used drugs, with private accommodation contributing significantly to these cases.
‘We are stepping up surveillance, awareness campaigns and collaboration with the police, county governments and the private sector to curb this emerging threat,’ NACADA wrote in a statement, calling for immediate action by Airbnb hosts to ensure that the premises are drug-free.