Machakos County Commissioner (CC) Mr. John Ondego has warned sellers of Illicit brew, Bhang, wines and spirits owners breaking the law, that law enforcers will not be compromised, on the ongoing crackdown.
Ondego was speaking at his office, during the launch of a 30- day Rapid Results Initiative (RRI), for the elimination of sub-standard and counterfeit alcoholic drinks in Machakos County.
He said the Multi-agency teams in cooperate security personnel from the National Government, County Government, NACADA and KEBS, will not be compromised by law breakers, who believe in giving bribes to have their way.
“We will not be compromised, you can compromise an individual but it is very difficult to compromise a team. If you want to compromise me, then you must talk to the team and I don’t think we will be in agreement to accept bribes,” stressed CC Ondego.
Ondego warned any law enforcers from the County and the National Government Administration, to desist from taking bribes from Liquor dens, clubs and bars owners.
He told them the tendency should be a thing of the past, as they will crack the whip on anyone interfering with the RRI.
“We will crack the whip on anybody coming between the Rapid Results Initiative (RRI), we assure you that you will be swept by the tide,” added Ondego.
He noted that they will not relent and are depending on the community for information and will go to any level, to get rid of the vice that is affecting the community and the youth.
Ondego reminded the youth that the RRI is for them to have a future and not to punish them.
He added that the future is for the youth and they should not be left behind because they are grooming people of substance who can stand on their own.
Ondego lamented there is cheap liquor in the market and people have turned their homes into bars because of Covid-19.
He warned that they will do a crackdown in homes because people are buying bundles of alcohol from supermarkets and Liquor dens and then congregating at home with friends, to start parties, which he stressed, is against the law.
“We will do a crackdown in your homes because your home is not a bar, we will get you drinking with your friends past hours, which means you have converted your premises into bars without a license,” warned Ondego.
He said the 30-day operation will be targeting Manufacturers, Exporters, and Importers, distributors, wholesalers, retailers, promoters and consumers, to get rid of all vices.
“We are coming for them, we will close those bars and wines and spirits outlets, because they have been flouting the law and regulations,” the County Commissioner added.
He further lamented that the Government is losing revenue because of counterfeit good including liquor and so the security teams should pull up their socks and be ready for more raids.
This comes weeks after a Multi-agency team in Mlolongo and Syokimau seized over 100 litres of illicit brew, 78 rolls of bhang and 30 litres of Kangara, during a crackdown at Kapa area in Syokimau.
Mlolongo Assistant County Commissioner, Dennis Ongaga, said they managed to recover the illicit substances but the owners escaped when they saw them coming.
He said the operation will destroy the consignment if the pursuit of the culprits does not bear fruit, so that the fake product does not get back to the markets and the public again.
“The suspects are being traced, we warn sand harvesters at Kapa, against consuming and selling illicit brew, bhang, among other outlawed drugs and substances,” noted Ongaga.
Ongaga warned that security was alert in Mlolongo and they will continue with the crackdown, until the area is cleaned of illegal substances and secure a good future for the youth.
Earlier in March, while in Machakos for their inaugural meeting, the National Authority for the Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), announced a membership of the newly constituted National Alcohol Control Committee (NACC).
The Committee is mandated to ensure consumer protection from illicit and adulterated alcoholic beverages in Kenya.
The purpose of the Committee is also to provide for the control of the production, sale and use of alcoholic drinks in order to protect the health of the individual.
Speaking during the inaugural meeting was Mr. Victor Okioma, CEO NACADA, who said that the Committee had a difficult task in the wake of the increased sale of illicit and sub-standard alcoholic drinks in Kenya and the dealers who are targeting minors.
“This Committee should be vigilant and embrace the multi-faced approach to weed-out illegal products in the market and protect consumers of alcoholic drinks. There is a need to pool resources from all agencies represented in the principle of one Government,” said the NACADA CEO.
By Ann Kangero
