Malindi conservationists and tourism stakeholders have raised concern over syringes suspected to be used by drug addicts dumped on the beaches.
The used syringes were found during the monthly clean-up exercise organized by Progress Welfare Association (PWAM) at Bunthuani area along the Malindi beach front.
Sadly they were seen by children who are among the stakeholders taking part in the cleanup aimed at making Malindi green and blue.
Montana Chemutai from learning Hub school in Malindi said as they were cleaning together with other children came across the syringes and raised an alarm to grownups.
Speaking to journalists after the cleanup she encouraged more children to join their environmental club called Malindi Blue and Green aimed at making the environment a better place,” she said.
“This morning as we were cleaning Bunthuani area we found injections and different kinds of plastics,” she said.
Sebastian Mwasia the chairman of the Malindi tourist market said it was unfortunate that syringes and all sorts of plastics could be dumped on the beach which is a tourist attraction area.
He said the syringes are a threat to people while the plastics are endangering the lives of sea creatures.
“We appeal to the authorities to ensure such kind of litter is dumped at the designated areas because tourists visit the beaches and need to find the beaches clean,” he said.
Mwasia said the security agencies must also beef up security in the beaches to prevent such cases of dumping of syringes.
Sergeant Abu Bocha from KWS Malindi Marine National park said the cleanup exercise was important for ensuring the environment was clean.
He said during the cleanup they found plastics, and syringes which are believed to be used by drug addicts.
Bocha said there was a need for more sensitization to ensure such dangerous waste is no longer dumped on the beaches.
“I would like to emphasize to everyone who comes to the beach to ensure all litter we bring is not dumped carelessly as it has negative repercussions to the future generation,” he said.
Famau Mohamed an anti-drug crusader from the Coast region told journalists that the Injecting Drug users are to blame for the dumping of syringes on the beaches.
He said the problem is also contributed by the Methadone project in Malindi that allowed the injecting drug users to continue using them.
Mohamed called on the government to set up a special center for the IDUs so as to ensure injections are not dumped carelessly.