"Right now, the Kenya Anti-Doping Act of 2016 is not, in my view, sufficiently loaded to deal with this challenge with the force required," (Sports minister Ababu) Namwamba told BBC Sport Africa.
"Our initial investigations are that you have a very complex underground syndicate [involved in doping in athletics]. It involves agents, coaches and doctors so it will need multiple instruments to be deployed to dismantle that syndicate.
"I believe we need to criminalise doping and elevate handling of doping substances to the same level [as] narcotics.
"So in the same way we deal with drug traffickers, we should deal similarly with those engaged in this practice."
