A men’s lobby group from Mathioya sub county, Murang’a county has taken the lead in a renewed community campaign against illicit and harmful alcohol, blaming the menace for worsening family problems and the deteriorating social and economic wellbeing of households.
Members of the group dubbed Boy Child Peace Ambassadors are mobilizing residents to confront illegal brewing and sale and consumption of alcohol, saying the fight cannot be won through government enforcement alone, without active involvement of families and the wider community.
Speaking during a sensitization forum, the founder and CEO Ahadi Kenya Trust Dr. Stanley Kamau who graced the occasion, challenged men to break their silence and take a more active role in tackling alcohol abuse, which he said was increasingly taking a heavy toll on families.
Kamau observed that men have a particular responsibility to protect their households, noting that alcohol dependency was leaving some families struggling with poverty, family breakdown and loss of breadwinners.
He called on the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) and other government agencies to intensify public awareness campaigns on the dangers of illicit and third-generation alcohol.
Kamau said authorities should place greater emphasis on prevention and education, instead of waiting until individuals and families had already suffered the consequences of addiction.
He also called for stricter enforcement of regulations governing bars, particularly operating hours, saying excessive availability of alcohol could encourage harmful consumption.
The CEO urged men to take personal responsibility by avoiding harmful drinking, supporting those battling alcohol dependency and discouraging young people from being drawn into substance abuse.
Kamau, who previously spearheaded campaigns against jigger infestation across the country, said he had shifted his attention to the alcohol menace after witnessing its damaging effects on communities.
He warned that continued alcohol abuse risked weakening the family unit, with some households losing their main providers, while children were being left vulnerable to poverty and neglect.
On his part. Mathioya Senior Chief Sammy Mwangi urged residents to become active partners in the fight by reporting illegal brewing and the sale of unlicensed or counterfeit alcoholic drinks.
Mwangi said elders and other community leaders had an important role to play in monitoring activities within their villages and alerting authorities whenever they suspected illegal alcohol businesses.
He urged residents not to remain silent when they witnessed activities that endangered families and young people.
Mathioya Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Riungu Laikera identified third-generation alcohol as one of the major challenges facing the area, saying the problem required targeted interventions.
Laikera said the government would continue enforcing the law, but stressed that lasting solutions would require residents to take ownership of the campaign.
He also raised concern over cases of suicide in the area and urged men to remain engaged in productive activities while supporting one another during difficult periods.
The DCC encouraged community members to create stronger support networks, saying isolation and social challenges could worsen problems affecting individuals and families.
The devastating impact of alcohol abuse was highlighted by Gladys Njeri, a widow whose husband succumbed to the effects of illicit alcohol.
Njeri appealed to the government to intensify the crackdown on unlicensed bars, saying families continued to pay a heavy price because of alcohol abuse.
She said stronger enforcement was necessary to prevent unscrupulous traders from profiting from alcoholic drinks that put consumers and their families at risk.
The campaign in Mathioya signals growing recognition that the alcohol problem requires more than arrests and closure of illegal outlets.
Community leaders say prevention, public education, responsible parenting and support for people affected by alcohol dependency must form part of the response.
With men now taking a more visible role, organizers hope the initiative will encourage households to confront alcohol abuse early, report illegal activities and help restore stability in families affected by the menace.
By Bernard Munyao/Florence Kinyua
