Diazepam (Misused)

Diazepam is a benzodiazepine medicine legally prescribed for anxiety, seizures, alcohol withdrawal, and muscle spasm. On the street in Kenya it is called "C5" (after the 5mg tablet) or "Valium." It is the most commonly abused prescription drug in Kenya according to both the 2021 NACADA assessment and the landmark 2026 NACADA wastewater analysis.

People misuse diazepam in several distinct ways: to intensify the high from heroin ("topping up"), to come down from khat or stimulant use and force sleep, as a cheap standalone sedative, and to sedate others without consent, particularly in sexual assault.

It is obtained from pharmacies without a legitimate prescription, from hospital or clinic theft, and through informal markets. Street prices are very low, making it accessible to even those with very little money.

"Topping" heroin with diazepam is a documented practice in Nairobi and coastal Kenya, where users report that combining the two produces a stronger, more sustained high than either drug alone. This combination is also responsible for many overdose deaths.

Khat users, who may have been chewing for 12 or more hours, often cannot sleep without a sedative. Diazepam is cheap and accessible, making it the most common solution to khat-induced insomnia in communities where miraa chewing is prevalent.

Some users take diazepam purely for its own sedative and anxiolytic effect, particularly people with untreated anxiety or who are managing difficult life circumstances without access to mental health services.

Physical dependence on diazepam can develop within just a few weeks of daily use. Stopping suddenly after dependence is established can cause seizures, which can be life-threatening.

Diazepam has a particularly long duration in the body, which means withdrawal is prolonged. Medical supervision of detox is strongly recommended.

Polydrug users, particularly heroin users in Nairobi and coastal Kenya, are the most commonly identified group misusing diazepam. It is used to intensify or extend the opioid high.

Khat users across Eastern Kenya and Nairobi use it routinely to manage the insomnia that follows long chewing sessions.

Young people in urban informal settlements use it as a cheap standalone intoxicant. The street name "C5" is widely known among youth in Nairobi.

The 2026 NACADA wastewater analysis, Kenya's first nationwide drug monitoring programme, identified diazepam in samples across 9 counties, confirming it as the most widespread prescription drug of abuse.

A 2021 NACADA assessment found diazepam accounting for 35.2% of prescription drug misuse cases across 18 surveyed counties.

Common street combinations documented by NACADA include heroin with diazepam ("kadeke topped with C5") and khat with diazepam for the comedown. NACADA warns these polydrug combinations dramatically increase overdose risk.

Street names for diazepam include "C5" (5mg tablet), "Mzigo" (meaning burden/load in Swahili), and "Blues." It is sold openly in some informal market settings in Nairobi and Mombasa.