Kurzweil
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- May 25, 2011
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Viongozi wa Kaunti ya Taita Taveta nchini Kenya wameamuru kufungwa kwa vituo vyote vinavyoendesha michezo ya kamari.
Viongozi hao pia wamekubaliana kuzikamata mashine hizo ikiwa katika juhudi za kuwalinda wanafunzi na watoto kutojiingiza katika michezo hiyo.
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Taita Taveta leaders have ordered the closure of all gambling stations in the county.
They also ordered that the machines be seized in a move aimed at protecting students from being lured into the activity.
County commissioner Kula Hache said students and unemployed youths were highly involved in gambling giving rise to an increase in crime.
"Our youths are no longer interested in jobs as before just because of these betting machines."
"Most of them are involved in petty crimes that shall soon be a security threat if not dealt with," she said on Monday.
"Schools are closing this week for a very long holiday and we have to protect them from such vices," the administrator added.
Hache said county security committee shall enforce the ban through the closure of all gambling stations in the county.
Taita Taveta Governor Granton Samboja said the gambling business is a threat to young and unemployed youths.
"We don’t want to lose the next generation through gambling. Let all those operating the gambling businesses close them immediately."
At least 3,000 youths in the county are believed to be involved in the gambling games currently booming in Voi, Taveta, Maungu, Mwatate towns.
The gambling machines are said to be owned by Chinese nationals.
Saidi Mwasho, a gambling machine operator in Voi, told The Star most of the operators never own the machines.
"We only own the business site. The machines belong to the Chinese. We usually divide the proceeds with the machine owner."
Mwasho said the ban saying will render a section of business people jobless.
"We should be talking about protecting minors from accessing the gambling kiosks and not banning the business," he said.
- The Star Kenya