Catholic Diocese of Murang’a Bishop James Maria Wainaina has lauded the government’s efforts on the war against illicit brews, alcohol and substance abuse and called for concerted efforts amongst all the stakeholders to find a lasting solution to the menace.
Bishop Wainaina noted that dialogue at various levels would leverage the efforts being made against the menace especially among the youth in the country.
“In these hard economic times, we encourage dialogue by urging parents and the community at large to work closely with the local administration so as to find a lasting solution,” he said.
“We laud the efforts being made by the Deputy President and the strides being made in fighting illicit alcohol, drug and substance. These efforts need to be supported by all,” he added.
Speaking at Gaitega Catholic Church Sunday during his Easter Pastoral message, the bishop noted that the effects of illicit brews and drug abuse were too obvious and dire ranging from wrecking the economies of the family to even death of bread winners and young people at their most productive years.
“There is a need for the government to study the matter and identify the root cause of the alcohol problem in the country and even stop its production by controlling the sources of raw materials,” observed Bishop Wainaina
He noted that closing bars and other sale points and limiting the time that they operated were important steps in this endeavor but it was paramount to address the supply side of the business.
“Suppliers must be identified and sanctioned including closing their business with immediate effect,” he said.
“Most recently, we lost close to 20 lives in Kirinyaga and the country cannot afford to lose any more lives to illicit alcohol,” the cleric noted.
He underscored the need to come up with alternative livelihood for those involved in selling illicit brews.
“Any list of solutions is not complete without including the psycho-social factors by proposing alternative methods and places of spending free time to attract the victim away from bars,” he noted.
At the same time, the clergy man condemned the entrenchment of Lesbian Gay Bisexual, Transgender and Queer (LGBTQ) advocacy groups, noting that the threat is real and is capable of breaking down the family unit and the entire social fabric.
“To address this, I urge the legislators to come out to strongly challenge any laws passed in Parliament that are against the integrity of the family institution and support any laws coming up in parliament that protect the family from emerging threats,” he said.
He reiterated their position as the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops that marriage as desired by God is between a man and a woman.
“All parents have the responsibility to instill good morals in their children as their first teachers and role models and to dialogue with them and pray together as a family unit,” he stated
Meanwhile, the bishop called on the ministry of health and the county governments, health departments to prioritize dialogue in the ongoing doctors’ strike and avert the looming health crisis by reducing the hard stances.
“This Easter season, let us prioritize compassion, empathy, and solidarity and work together to ensure no patient is left to suffer or die due to lack of access to medical care,” he said
By Florence Kinyua
