Vihiga County Commissioner Felix Watakila and the area Governor Dr. Wilber Ottichilo on Monday held a joint meeting to deliberate on the regulation of alcoholic drinks in the county.
The meeting attended by the National Government Administration Officers (NGAO), the police, and the staff from the respective departments of the county government, resolved to cooperate to streamline the alcoholic drinks’ business in the area.
The CC directed that the bars and drinking joints operating within fewer than 300 meters of learning institutions, hospitals, and churches be closed forthwith as they contravene the provision of the Alcoholic Control Act.
Watakila instructed the Chiefs and their Assistants to collaborate with the police in carrying out the operation to stamp out the illicit and substandard brews.
On his part, Governor Dr. Ottichilo pledged that his staff would cooperate with the NGAOs and the police to do the fresh vetting and licensing of bars and other drinking places.
He admitted that some officers were undermining the fight against the lethal brews menace by failing to strictly enforce the regulations, warning that they would be punished by the law if found.
The county head called on the National Environmental Management Authority (NEMA) to enforce the anti-noise rule as there is a lot of noise pollution from pubs and evangelistic crusades.
By Sammy Mwibanda
