A section of liquor manufacturers and distributors have commenced an exercise of inspecting alcohol brands stocked in bars within Murang’a County.
The move to conduct impromptu inspection is informed by reported cases on availability of counterfeit alcoholic brands and selling of second generation liquor in some drinking dens.
The exercise coordinated by Murang’a Bar Owners Association is designed to help detect if unscrupulous business people have managed to sneak in substandard alcoholic drinks.
The manufacturers have said some people are used names of their brands to make and sell counterfeit alcoholic drinks to unsuspecting customers.
The Chairman of the Liquor Distributors Association, David Kimemia told KNA that selling of counterfeit liquor put lives of consumers at risk since standards of the alcoholic drinks are in question.
He noted that the inspections have helped curb penetration of the counterfeit products into the market.
Kimemia said counterfeit goods are posing threat to the country’s economy since those behind the illicit businesses evade payment of taxes.
There have been concerns over re-emergence of second generation brews in some parts of the county.
The Bar owners and distributors noted this inspection will deter entrance of substandard liquor brands in the market.
Bars owners lauded the move to have impromptu inspection, saying will help sellers to know genuine alcoholic brands.
The Kenya Revenue Authority and Kenya Bureau of Standards among other agencies are looped in the process to fight counterfeits in markets.
The Chairman of the County Bar Owners Association, Simon Jogoo lauded the exercise, saying selling of counterfeit liquor has gone down.
He said the government should strictly enforce liquor laws so as to curtail alcoholism and selling of illicit brews which pose health risks to consumers.
Jogoo said the county government should regulate number of bars in the region, saying some parts have more bars than the agreed number of outlets.
“Members of the association are advised to buy liquor brands from manufacturers who are authorised by KEBS. Some of distributors we are aware are sneaking in some counterfeit brands,” added the chairman.
Several months ago, the county security team led by County Commissioner (CC), Mohammed Barre devised ways of nabbing people who manufacture illicit brews along river Chania.
Meanwhile, banks of the river bordering Murang’a and Kiambu Counties have been hiding places for manufacturers of the illicit alcoholic drinks since the river is hardly accessible.
By Bernard Munyao
