Operating out of this makeshift space once a week, Pastor Kagondu voluntarily provides counseling, preaches, and serves hot soup and bread to the growing number of addicts seeking help.
The initiative addresses a crucial gap: professional rehabilitation centers remain unaffordable for most victims, while both national and county governments have failed to establish local treatment facilities.
Recovering addicts, including former professionals whose lives were derailed by substance abuse, report visible progress and a renewed sense of purpose.
However, to sustain and expand this work, the ministry and its beneficiaries are now appealing to well-wishers for support to secure a permanent indoor facility.
Following a tragic spike in illicit alcohol deaths in Kiambu town and neighboring Ndumberi village—where over 50 young men have died in the past two months—a local pastor has converted part of the Kiambu bus stage into an open-air counseling and rehabilitation hub.
Through the Mephiboseth Counselling Centre, Pastor Godfrey Kagondu offers voluntary spiritual guidance and support directly on the stage grounds. He explained that his decision was driven by the urgent need to address the alarming sight of unattended individuals struggling with addiction throughout the town.
According to Pastor Kagondu, rising fatalities from illicit brews have largely gone unaddressed, with minimal effort made to assist victims who are increasingly left incapacitated. He highlighted that exorbitant fees at commercial rehabilitation facilities prevent most victims from seeking treatment.
Furthermore, he criticized both the county and national governments for neglecting the crisis, noting that local leadership lacks concrete plans for rehabilitation centers and only engages these young men during election campaigns.
“It is a very sad state of affairs in Kiambu to see these young men—many of whom were skilled professionals—neglected by the very leaders they elected,” Pastor Kagondu stated.
Despite operating only once a week in an open public space, the ministry has yielded tangible results. Participating addicts report steady progress, with many resuming daily activities and reconnecting with the church. During sessions, attendees receive hot soup and bread, a gesture they say provides comfort and encouragement on their path to recovery.
