Meru Women Rep launches campaign to tackle youth gambling
The program will leverage the influence of local talent to lead peer-driven awareness campaigns, exhibitions, mentorship and economic empowerment.
Kenya.- Meru Women Representative Hon. Karambu Kailemia has launched a bold initiative to address vices like gambling and drug abuse among the youth. Tagged #KasoberTunawezabila, the campaign aims to empower tens of thousands of young people in Meru County with the skills and knowledge they need to make informed decisions.
The program, which will run for one year, will leverage the influence of local talent, including musicians, athletes, artists and community leaders, to lead peer-driven awareness campaigns, talent exhibitions, mentorship and economic empowerment.
The campaign introduces a novel approach that bridges a crucial gap noted by social workers, where many vulnerable youth lack strong family support and respond more positively to peer-led interventions than traditional authority figures.
In her statement at the campaign launch, which drew hundreds of young people, Kailemia declared that “practical motherhood”, which combined unconditional support with accountability, would be the campaign’s guiding principle.
She said: “We are losing an entire generation. Young people are diverting their limited earnings toward vices such as gambling and drug abuse, rather than purchasing necessities like vegetables, perpetuating cycles of poverty. I see myself as a real mother to you; most of you are like my last-born since you’re under 30. My office door remains open for individual support and guidance, but you must be willing to fight for your future.”
Kailemia’s initiative will specifically tackle the growing issue of problem gambling, which has been linked to the worsening national substance abuse epidemic. Social workers have reported cases of young individuals taking out loans for meals after betting away their wages and subsequently turning to drug abuse.
All six constituencies across Meru will host community events as part of the campaign. There are also plans to establish a rehabilitation centre to support the initiative.
#KasoberTunawezabila complements the government’s efforts to combat problem gambling among young people in Kenya. In June 2025, the Betting Control and Licensing Board (BCLB) issued new rules for gambling advertisements in the region.
