Five senior government officers from Nakuru North Sub-County have been interdicted in the State’s renewed efforts to curtail sale and consumption of lethal brews.
Rift Valley Regional Commissioner Mr. George Natembeya said Bahati North Deputy County Commissioner Godfrey Mayama, Nakuru North Sub-County Police Commander Bernard Wamugunda and Kiamana Assistant County Commissioner Isaac Ooko had been given marching orders.
“They have been directed to step aside and explain within 21 days why they should not be dismissed from service,” Natembeya added.
The government’s move follows last week’s incident at Hodi hodi village within Kiamaina ward in Bahati Sub-County where ten people died after consuming illicit liquor.
Also sent packing were Officer Commanding Kiamaina Police Station Solomon Wamae, Bahati North Critical Infrastructure Protection Unit (CIPU) Commander Robert Maina, area Chief and his two assistants.
According to Natembeya, the interdictions take effect immediately as replacements to affected officers had already been dispatched to undertake the respective roles.
Addressing the media in his offices in Nakuru, the administrator warned that the County Security Committee had placed on radar officers who were receiving bribes from brewers and peddlers of illicit brews.
“I am putting all the 14 County Security Committees on notice that we will not hesitate to recommend the interdiction of lax and corrupt officers. County Police Commanders are under instruction to take administrative action on officers abetting sale of illicit brew. The government policy is not to transfer underperforming officers, but interdict them, which is the first step before one is fired,” he pointed out.
Natembeya directed County Commissioners and their teams to take charge of their areas. “If lives are lost due to officers’ laxity, they will be sent home,” he affirmed.
The Regional Commissioner singled out Nakuru, Bomet, Kericho, Nandi, Narok, Kajiado, Laikipia, Samburu, Trans Nzoia and Marakwet as notorious havens for brewers and consumers of illicit brews.
He said samples of the 40 litres of unknown substance recovered during a recent crackdown in Hodi hodi village and believed to have been used in the manufacture of illicit brew had been forwarded to the government chemist for analysis.
Superintendent in charge of Bahati Sub-County Hospital Dr Kennedy Owino said preliminary tests point to a possibility of organophosphate poisoning.
“Medics have been managing victim’s conditions by giving them fluids via transfusion and orally,” The Medical Superintendent pointed out.
By Anne Mwale and David Opingo
