West Pokot Sub County Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Wycliffe Munanda has expressed concern over what he terms as a huge number of alcohol outlets within the Sub County.
Speaking during a County Multi-Agency Security team at Mtelo Hall on Monday, Munanda mentioned that the Sub County leads in the total number of alcohol joints citing it as a security threat to the area.
Munanda cited Kongelai Market which he termed as too small to host 10 alcohol outlets, regretting that the stocks in those premises are all from the neighbouring Country.
“We have an upsurge of alcohol-drinking dens and this has to be regulated. Although they are licensed, we need to think about it since this is not healthy for our area,” said Munanda.
At the same, the DCC advised officers in the area who might have ventured into alcohol business to cease as directed by the government noting that such engagements have been known to ruin public service delivery.
“There are alternative sources of income but not alcohol business. You can imagine how it feels when you engage in a business that ruins other people’s lives,” he advised, adding that those who have been identified have already been warned.
It was observed during the engagement that some public officers have been using proxies to register such businesses with the security team announcing that such individuals will not be spared.
Kapkoris Location Chief Emanuel Lokorwa described Makutano Centre within Kapenguria Township as the heartbeat of alcohol and drug abuse saying people travel from areas where alcohol business is prohibited to come and revel there.
“We have discovered that most of the revelers within Makutano come from areas of Lelan in Pokot South Sub County where alcohol businesses don’t exist. Some come in the morning and retire in the evening after drinking the whole day,” stated the chief whose jurisdiction covers a section of the centre.
The centre according to residents is considered an alcohol “tourism” destination with security agencies noting that if the trend continues then there is a likelihood of the centre attracting trade into contraband and illicit brews among other criminal activities
Security stakeholders observed that crackdowns in informal settlements within Kapenguria Town become elusive because of inaccessible road networks, hence illicit brewers get wind of such security operations and take cover.
They said most crackdowns are met with frustrations since the perpetrators evade leaving the security agencies to just destroy the brews but with no arrests.
By Richard Muhambe
