The Government is proposing a reduction in the number of bars in some parts of Nyeri as one strategy of addressing rampant alcoholism.
Nyeri County Commissioner Josphat Biwott says the idea is aimed to curb the mushrooming of many drinking joints that have turned some towns into perpetual drinking havens.
Biwott who was addressing the press in Nyeri yesterday was however categorical that such a move is not meant to kill genuine businesses but a proposal to control drinking in the rural towns.
His comments came days after four men died in Gatitu trading center in Nyeri Township after they allegedly consumed lethal brews at a local drinking joint.
He nevertheless said it was still early to ascertain whether those who died in Gatitu were victims of drinking alcohol until a postmortem report is released.
“After consulting Governor Dr Mutahi Kahiga, we have agreed that we have to close all the outlets of Gatitu which has over 30 bars. We have been conducting a fresh vetting of all bars in the area from March 16 to March 23 together with the County Liquor Licensing Board. And out of the 30 bars we are only going to register 10 or less which must meet all the minimum requirements”, he said.
The administrator has also warned those operating unlicensed drinking joints and selling counterfeit alcohol to close down before security officers come for them.
Biwott said the war on illicit brews and drug abuse was a directive from President Dr William Ruto and they were going to implement it to the latter regardless of opposition from the beneficiaries.
“Following Presidential directive in December on the war on rampant alcoholism and substance abuse, we sat with the Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Bureau of Standards, National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse and the Anti-Counterfeit Authority and the County government and have identified fake alcohol as one of the greatest threats in this war. We are currently conducting vetting and those found without a license will be ordered closed down,” he added.
He also disclosed that a report from a consignment of two lorry loads of suspected counterfeit beer that was impounded in Gatitu in January this year is almost complete.
He said once the contents of the suspected counterfeit drinks have been ascertained, the office of the Directorate of Public Prosecution will press charges against the owner of the consignment before he is arraigned in court.
The multi-agency team, which is conducting the crackdown, is also planning to meet with beer manufacturers and distributors to resolve the riddle surrounding the proliferation of fake brews in the area.
“We also sat down and found that the weakest link in this war is the challenge of identifying whether these (alcoholic) drinks are genuine or not. We have arranged a meeting with our distributors over the matter since they are saying the counterfeit contents inside their branded bottles is not theirs although the bottles are their property.” stated the commissioner.
On Monday, Nyeri governor Dr Mutahi Kahiga ordered the immediate closure of all bars operating in Gatitu following a public outcry over the proliferation and sale of illicit alcohol in the area.
Speaking during a public baraza that was attended by security agencies from the area, the county boss directed the County Alcoholic Drinks Control Licensing Committee to immediately revoke licenses for all bars pending fresh vetting by the committee.
“I am very disturbed. The time for negotiating and strategizing is over. It is the time for enforcement because, as we are busy talking, our people are still getting drunk and lying dead in the mortuary,” said Kahiga.
The visibly agitated governor also directed that the number of bars operating in the center be reduced to a maximum of 10 as part of a sweeping crackdown on illicit and counterfeit alcohol in the area.
He wondered how a small shopping centre with a population of not more than 20,000 residents had close to 30 bars and liquor-selling outlets.
Some, he said, were operating without licenses, while in some instances unscrupulous operators were using fake licenses right under the watch of county and law enforcement officers.
“I have heard that there are 38 bars in Gatitu. This is ridiculous!
“Starting from today, I have directed that all bars operating in Gatitu be shut down with immediate effect,” he said.
“The County Alcoholic Drinks Control Licensing Committee will partner with the county enforcement to vet and issue licenses to the bar owners. And for those that will fail to meet the requirements, we should not hear they were issued with licenses,” retorted the governor.
Dr Kahiga also ordered the revocation of all liquor distribution permits in the town pending fresh vetting by the liquor licensing committee. He warned that the county will not tolerate the sale and distribution of illicit and counterfeit alcohol in the county.
“If any of the affected feels like this is too much for them, they are welcome to sue the county. But we shall not sit and watch as counterfeit liquor is being sold to our people in this county,” he said.
The governor has also directed the Directorate of Public Health and Sanitation to conduct a weeklong cleanup exercise to rid the town of alcohol bottles, which the governor said were being used to repackage counterfeit alcohol.
He also announced a one-week Rapid Result Initiative (RRI) to enforce compliance, after which bars and distributors that meet the compliance requirements will be allowed to reopen.
The county Directorate of Alcoholic Drinks Control and Management on Wednesday followed through with Dr Kahiga’s directive and suspended invoicing of liquor outlets for Gatitu and 10 other shopping centres among them Rurii,Uaso Nyiro and Kiawara (Kieni West),Giakanja and Ithekahuno(Tetu),Wariruta and Ihwagi(Mathira) and Muruguru,Githiru and Micha in Nyeri Central suncounty.
In January, a multi-agency security operation in Nyeri impounded 150 crates of suspected counterfeit alcohol at a local bar in Micha trading Centre, Ruring’u ward some five kilometres from Gatitu.
The swoop was led by Central Regional Commissioner Joshua Nkanatha and the Regional Police Commander Jasper Ombati.
Nkanatha, while speaking to KNA on the sidelines of the sting operation said the joint initiative would continue until the menace of illicit brews and substance abuse is eradicated from the region.
He said the raid was part of the Government accelerated 100-day Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) that was announced recently by President Ruto on December 31 to help address the runway brewing, sale and drinking of illicit brews.
“This is an operation that is being carried out throughout the country and as such in the Central Region and as such this Committee have decided to take the lead in order to make sure that our team implements the RRI to the letter. We have been to Kiambu and Murang’a where we had similar activities. Today we are in Nyeri and we can see the work we were able to do. It was a well-organized multi-agency meeting and we agreed by the end of the RRI period, this place is going to be free of all these vices,” he said.
The Regional administrator said the objective of the operation was to ensure all unscrupulous and rogue individuals selling illicit and lethal drinks are arrested and arraigned before the court.
He disclosed that intelligence reports had already zeroed in on three people who were involved in the production and sale of counterfeit beer in Nyeri and warned that their days are numbered.
Nkanatha further said the team had agreed to be of one mind in combating the proliferation of illicit brews and drugs in the region and said there will be no letup in the war until those involved in the trade are chased out of town.
“We have identified one of three major counterfeiters. We are informed that he is one of the people who are selling poison because if it is substandard beer then that is poisonous .I want to sound the alarm to all of them that we are coming for you .
We are also telling our teams that this is the time we need to have an honest discussion about the role we are also playing in ensuring that we implement the directive. Should anyone feel that they cannot implement the directive, then they are free to leave the scene and leave it to those who are willing to do the work,” he stated.
By Samuel Maina and Wangari Mwangi
