The County Government of Kiambu is actively working to combat drug and substance abuse and illicit brew.
Over 757 non-compliant bars, 11 non-compliant agrovets and 74 non-compliant chemists and pharmacies have so far been closed.
Speaking to KNA, Kiambu County Commissioner Duncan Darusi said as of 2nd of April we have closed these premises following the order by the Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on especially bars and clubs operating within residential areas and learning institutions.
Thus, the CC noted that everyone operating a premises must have a valid license, “for people to operate in bars they must also work within the framework of the law and it also depends with the type of license they have,” he emphasized.
The stipulated amount of time that the bars and clubs should work are that any ordinary bar should work between 5 am and 11pm, Monday to Friday and during weekends from 2pm to 11pm and therefore anyone who operates beyond this timeframe would be contravening the law, Darusi warned.
The overall input of this rule, he noted is to target and deal with substandard undirected alcohol, illicit brew and their manufacturers within the county. To add on, Just last month Police in the County arrested three suspects and impounded 6,000 litres of ethanol at a house in Kia Mumbi village, found the culprits had been operating illegally and not registered
“Those people who engage in illicit brews at their homes are on for arrest as majority do not have a valid alcohol license”, Darusi said. Meanwhile, there has been repeated declarations by the County Government urging the closure of bars within the county, changes have so far been observed.
Jared Gachau, a resident of Kiambu and a bar owner at Sunspot bar said that however much he supports the government on getting rid of the illegal bars and manufacturers of illicit brews, he called upon it to consider the genuine bar owners who have complied with the licensing laws and they be allowed to operate.
“We are being harassed by police left, right and Centre. Some of us are genuine business owners, running our businesses clean but the police sometimes are just out to harass and intimidate us threatening to close our businesses and this affects us.
For Instance, another Kiambu resident, Kiung’u Cylus said, ‘the government is on the right track about the eradication of drugs and substance abuse for the sake of the young generation’s better living.
The County commissioner said that it will not be a short time exercise, rather an enforcement of perpetuity until the government attains its desired rule of regulated sell of alcohol that is safe for human consumption.
Hence, Failure to comply with this government rule, there are duly consequences in measure such as closure of the alcohol establishments, arrest and prosecution.
Though Kiambu County has not yet come up with the harmonized Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill that is being proposed in most counties of Kenya, it has already been tabled by the County Assembly of Kiambu.
Lastly, previous research by NACADA has shown Kiambu County to be among the top with alcoholic and bar outlets as well as consumers of alcohol.
By Lydia Waceke
