In a clear signal that the war on illicit alcohol will not be slowing down, President William Ruto has reappointed Bishop Dr. Stephen Mairori as the Chairperson of the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) for another three years.

The Senior Pastor at AIC Milimani has become the face of the government’s moral and enforcement crusade against the "poison" destroying the youth. His first term was marked by a radical shift in NACADA’s strategy—moving from boardroom advocacy to conducting midnight raids alongside police commandos.

The "Security Emergency" Mandate

NACADA’s statement welcomed the move, noting that drug abuse has been declared a "development and security emergency." Mairori’s retention is strategic; he bridges the gap between the state machinery and the religious sector, two pillars Ruto relies on for governance.

• The Rift Valley Focus: Mairori has been instrumental in the crackdown in the Rift Valley, where alcoholism had reached crisis levels. Under his watch, the agency partnered with county governments to shut down thousands of unlicensed bars near schools.
• Combating Shisha and Synthetics: The Bishop has also led the charge against the resurgence of Shisha in Nairobi’s high-end clubs and the spread of synthetic drugs in slums. His "no sacred cows" approach has seen him clash with powerful business interests.
• Policy Reform: Beyond enforcement, Mairori is pushing for legislative changes to classify ethanol as a controlled substance, making it harder for brewers to access the raw material for Chang'aa.

Faith and Force

"We are fighting for the soul of this nation," Mairori famously said in a Nandi sensitization meeting. His rhetoric frames the drug war not just as a health issue, but as a spiritual battle. With three more years, the Bishop has the time—and the Presidential backing—to try and break the cartels that have turned addiction into a billion-shilling industry.