New law grants Kirinyaga residents say in alcohol trade

Residents in Kirinyaga County will going forward have a say in the regulation, manufacture and sale of alcohol in the county following the signing of a new law.

Governor Anne Waiguru said in a statement on X Thursday that residents' participation will be through committees and public participation.

"We have today signed a progressive alcohol bill that ensures community involvement through committees and public participation in the regulation of licensing, manufacturing and sale of alcohol in Kirinyaga County," the governor said. 

"We also signed the roads, transport and public utilities bill to enhance orderliness in public transport service," she added.

Kirinyaga County lies within Central Kenya, one of the worst affected regions by illicit brew menace which has since prompted the national government to launch a nationwide crackdown on premises engaged in the trade.

The county was in early February in the news after 17 people died and several others went blind after consuming illicit liquor at Kangai village in Mwea East.

During the burial of the victims on February 17, Waiguru ordered the immediate closure of all liquor outlets in the county and said the County Government had withdrawn all licenses issued to the bars to allow for a fresh vetting.

“I have today ordered the closure of all bars in Kirinyaga to pave the way for fresh vetting, those bars that will be found to have been operating without license or had previous cases of selling unauthorized products will not be allowed to open again,” Waiguru said during the mass burial ceremony for the 17 victims at Kangai Primary School.

The death toll later climbed to 20 after three more victims succumbed.

The government has so far shut down nearly 20,000 liquor joints in the ongoing national crackdown on illicit brew, drugs and substance abuse.

Interior CS Kithure Kindiki said on March 25 that 14 distilleries manufacturing toxic killer brew had also been closed and their production infrastructure destroyed.

"12,150 premises which were operating across the 47 counties without licenses and 6,500 others which were licensed contrary to National Law on proximity to learning institutions have been shut," he said.

In an update issued on March 27, Kindiki said the government was determined to eradicate the use of illicit alcohol, narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances by completely suppressing supply and demand.

He said to suppress demand, the government is committed to offering treatment, rehabilitation and reintegration of addicts as a priority undertaking amid the ongoing nationwide crackdown.

"The National Government is putting up several Treatment and Rehabilitation Centres and will partner with County Governments to ensure each of our 47 Counties has such a centre offering affordable, publicly funded services to members of the public receiving treatment and rehabilitation," Kindiki said.

He spoke while inspecting the Miritini Drug Treatment and Rehabilitation Centre in Mombasa which is still under construction.