By Kepher Otieno - Reporter
Kenya, 26 May 2026 - A fresh political and social storm is now brewing in Elgeyo-Marakwet County after Adams Kipsanai openly linked rising cases of student unrest to the spread of marijuana and other illicit drugs in schools.
The Keiyo North MP warned that narcotics are quietly becoming the hidden engine behind strikes, destruction of school property and collapsing discipline in learning institutions across the county.
Speaking after an emergency stakeholders’ meeting convened to address the recent turmoil at Tambach Boys High School, Kipsanai painted a grim picture of a school system increasingly under siege from substance abuse and behavioural breakdown among learners.
“A thorough investigation must be conducted to determine the extent of marijuana and drug abuse in our schools,” Kipsanai said. “This is now one of the biggest contributors to student unrest and indiscipline.”
His remarks exposed growing fears within both political and education circles that the crisis facing Kenyan schools is no longer simply about discipline, but about deeper social decay creeping into classrooms and dormitories.
According to the legislator, the emergency meeting brought together education officials and local stakeholders after revelations emerged that some students at Tambach Boys High School were allegedly consuming illicit drugs within the school compound itself. The claims have triggered concern over how deeply narcotics may have infiltrated institutions once regarded as centres of discipline and academic excellence.
Kipsanai argued that addiction is now sabotaging the academic future of many learners while simultaneously fuelling rebellion against school authorities.
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The unfolding crisis also reflects a wider national anxiety. In recent years, Kenya has witnessed repeated waves of student unrest, dormitory fires and violent school strikes. While authorities often blame indiscipline and peer pressure, leaders are increasingly pointing towards drug abuse, mental health struggles and social instability as underlying causes.
In Elgeyo Marakwet, the Tambach incident has now become a political flashpoint. Leaders fear the situation could escalate further unless urgent interventions are introduced to protect students from criminal drug networks targeting schools.
Even so, Kipsanai attempted to reassure parents and the public that authorities are moving swiftly to restore stability. He said firm strategies had already been developed to ensure affected students safely return to school and continue learning in a conducive environment.
At the same time, the MP urged learners not to squander educational opportunities through destructive behaviour. He reminded students that the government had invested heavily in school infrastructure and educational resources aimed at transforming lives through education.
But beneath the appeals for calm lies a more uncomfortable reality. Kenya’s education sector is increasingly confronting pressures that extend beyond textbooks and examinations. Drugs, mental distress, economic hardship and social disillusionment are beginning to collide inside schools with alarming consequences.
The remarks by the Keiyo North MP therefore signal more than concern over a single school. They reveal growing political recognition that the unrest erupting in Kenyan schools may be symptomatic of a wider generational crisis demanding urgent national attention.
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