Nairobi, May 8 -- The government has warned that drug abuse among young people is increasingly shutting them out of employment opportunities, especially in overseas labour markets.

Labour and Social Protection Cabinet Secretary Alfred Mutua cautioned job seekers against drug use, saying many young Kenyans are missing out on opportunities due to failed medical tests linked to substance abuse.

"Stop chewing Muguka and smoking bhang. You will not get a job if you are an addict," Dr Mutua told hundreds of youth who turned up for a mass overseas recruitment exercise at the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) in Mombasa.

The recruitment aimed to place 4,000 people in overseas jobs through state-certified recruitment agencies. The C...