Residents of Garissa County will have an opportunity to contribute to the government’s plans to tighten regulation of shisha and waterpipe tobacco products during a public participation forum scheduled for June 18, 2026, at the Garissa Government Guest House.
The meeting is part of a nationwide consultation launched by Kenya’s Ministry of Health following the publication of the Draft Public Health (Prohibition of Shisha Smoking and Waterpipe Tobacco Products) Rules, 2026 and the accompanying Regulatory Impact Statement.
According to a public notice issued by the Ministry, the proposed regulations seek to prohibit shisha smoking and the importation, manufacture, supply, distribution, promotion, sale and use of shisha and other waterpipe tobacco products in Kenya.
Garissa has been clustered together with Garissa, Tana River, Wajir and Mandera counties for the regional consultation forum, which will run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. on June 18.
The Ministry says the move is aimed at addressing growing public health concerns linked to shisha smoking. Officials note that the communal sharing of mouthpieces and hoses can facilitate the spread of respiratory infections, while the moist environment inside waterpipes can harbour disease-causing pathogens.
The proposed rules come nearly a decade after the government introduced the Public Health (Control of Shisha Smoking) Rules, 2017, which prohibited the importation, manufacture, sale, promotion and distribution of shisha.
Health authorities argue that the emergence of new waterpipe-related products, including herbal and flavoured alternatives, has created regulatory gaps that require a stronger legal framework.
The Ministry has invited members of the public, civil society organizations, health professionals, youth groups, business operators and other stakeholders to submit their views on the draft regulations. Written memoranda and comments can be submitted to the Office of the Cabinet Secretary for Health before June 30, 2026.
Officials say the public forums are intended to help wananchi understand the proposed regulations, gather feedback from affected groups and ensure that the final rules reflect public concerns and expectations.
The Garissa meeting is expected to attract participants from across the North Eastern region, where public health officials have intensified campaigns against tobacco use and other lifestyle-related health risks.
If adopted, the new regulations could significantly strengthen Kenya’s efforts to curb the use of shisha and other waterpipe tobacco products, which health experts say pose serious risks despite widespread misconceptions that they are safer than cigarettes.
