Elvina Majiwa leads youth charge against Tobacco

In a proud moment for public health advocacy in Africa, Elvina Majiwa, the Executive Director of Health Conscious Africa, has been awarded the prestigious World No Tobacco Day Award 2025 by the World Health Organization.
The global honour recognises her outstanding leadership in driving tobacco control policies, especially those that protect young people across East Africa.
Majiwa’s advocacy work has been instrumental in shaping national campaigns through the Cancer Prevention Programme, a collaborative initiative supported by the Union for International Cancer Control and Cancer Research UK. Her voice has become synonymous with youth-led resistance to the powerful grip of the tobacco industry in Africa.
In her acceptance speech, Majiwa made an impassioned call to action:
“I stand united with other young advocates dedicated to safeguarding our generation and future generations from the harmful effects of tobacco and nicotine addiction.”
This year’s WHO campaign theme, “Unmasking the Appeal,” shines a light on the deceptive strategies the tobacco industry uses to target youth. Majiwa boldly echoed this message, warning of how digital marketing and sleek packaging are designed to manipulate the next generation.
“As young people,” she said, “we refuse to be manipulated by the tobacco industry, whose legacy is built on endangering lives.”
Her remarks come at a critical time. According to Kenya’s 2022 Status of Drugs and Substance Use (DSU) survey, one in every twelve Kenyans aged 15 to 65—over 2.3 million people—currently use tobacco. The Central region leads with a prevalence rate of 11.9%, followed closely by the Coast (10.8%) and Eastern (10.7%).
Majiwa has been at the forefront of pushing for legislative change, including the much-delayed Tobacco Control (Amendment) Bill 2024. The bill, if passed, would provide Kenya’s first legal framework for regulating smokeless tobacco products such as vapes, nicotine pouches, and heated tobacco.
“These products are currently operating in a regulatory vacuum,” she warned. “The delay in legislation only fuels misinformation and hinders our efforts to reduce tobacco-related harm in our communities.”
She further urged the government to take bold action by banning flavoured tobacco and e-cigarettes, shielding public policy from industry interference, and significantly increasing taxes on all tobacco and nicotine products. “If tobacco becomes less affordable, especially for children and youth, we can save lives,” she insisted.