State House Head of Special Projects and Programmes Dennis Itumbi has declared a full-scale war against illicit brews in Kirinyaga County, saying the fight is aimed at saving a generation of young people increasingly being destroyed by alcohol and substance abuse.
Speaking to journalists at Kimunye ACK Church in Kirinyaga County, Itumbi said the crackdown would be carried out under the Kirinyaga We Want initiative following concerns raised by residents during ongoing consultations on the county’s future.
He said the initiative was not only about developing a vision for Kirinyaga but also about protecting the generation expected to benefit from that vision.
“The Kirinyaga We Want is not only about the vision we want to write; it is also about the generation that will benefit from what we write. We are therefore declaring today that The Kirinyaga We Want is going to engage in a full-blown war against illicit brew in Kirinyaga,” said Itumbi.
He specifically mentioned illicit brews commonly known as Kathuri-ng’ui and Mogondora
“Those two illicit brews, along with others, are about to face the full wrath of the Kirinyaga people. We cannot allow businesses to continue profiting because that is no longer profit; it is poison. You cannot sell poison and claim it is benefiting you with a profit,” he said.
Itumbi said the initiative would bring together religious leaders, the National Government Administrative officers, local leaders, and relevant government agencies to develop a comprehensive strategy against illicit alcohol.
He said he would begin consultations with female clergy before meeting the wider interdenominational clergy in Kirinyaga, after which he would engage the National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO) team.
“The fight will not just be physical. It will involve spiritual guidance and medical intervention, providing a 360-degree approach. Addiction is a disease, and we must ensure affected individuals receive proper treatment and rehabilitation,” he said.
Itumbi said enforcement alone would not solve the problem, adding that the fight would combine physical crackdowns with rehabilitation, mentorship, and community involvement.
“There needs to be a physical crackdown, but we will also have measures to deal with rehabilitation and mentorship, and we are going to engage in that comprehensive approach,” he said.
He said those using money and alleged bribery to evade law enforcement and continue selling illicit alcohol would no longer be tolerated.
“To those who think they can bribe their way through or pay off officials to continue selling poison, your era of giving money to push poison to our people has come to an end,” he said.
Itumbi said the next two weeks would be dedicated to consultations and the development of a strategy to tackle illicit brews village by village.
“We cannot gather views to build Kirinyaga while our people are intoxicated. We need a sober generation so that we can engage in dialogue and build The Kirinyaga We Want together,” he said.
By David Wandeto
