The government has reiterated the need for cooperation with the community to curb continued use of illicit brews and hard drugs in society.
Kirinyaga County Commissioner Naiyoma Tobiko has cautioned that substance abuse is not only causing societal related problems and robbing victims of their future but it is also causing untold health related challenges to consumers.
While pleading for individual responsibility, the administrator revealed that two people from Mwea recently lost eye sight after imbibing in cheap concoctions which were not fit for human consumption.
He further decried the high number of law breakers across the county who are being arrested on a daily basis with the illegal substances.
"Let us all play our part and be responsible citizens. There is absolutely no need to fill up our police cells with law breakers who have been caught using or trading the illegal substances. Please let us all abide by the government clarion call to abandon those poisonous substances,” he said.
Tobiko further urged locals not to be lured by the decent packaging and bottling of the second generation brews saying they remain unfit for human consumption and part of the brews that the government is eradicating.
“The government is always right and once it embarks on an activity, it is always geared towards protecting the citizens. Therefore, the products that have been declared poisonous remain lethal because they have not undergone legally recommended procedures to approved their consumable standards,” he said.
Tobiko spoke on Saturday in Gichugu during an event to disburse bursary cheques worth Sh2.5 million to needy students.
The programme was sponsored by the National Government Affirmative Action Fund which is under the woman rep’s office.
The county commissioner used the platform to sound a warning to students to refrain from indulging in substance abuse as the ongoing operations to nab substance traffickers and traders will not spare anyone.
On her part, woman rep Njeri Maina commended the national government for it’s commitment in spearheading the war on illicit brews and called on Kenyans to support it.
"I want to hail our deputy president for his concern and unrelenting commitment and persistence in his quest to free our youths from the yoke of poisonous brews," she said.
"We us regional leaders will continue supporting him in the task because we can neither allow our region to be converted into a testing ground for such poisons nor allow the lives of our people to be put on the line for the benefit of a few selfish traders,” she added.
Maina further urged residents to help win the war by calling out corrupt local administrators who are being compromised by rogue traders to allow their illegal activities.
She also called for the regulation of liquor operating licenses issued by county governments saying this will go a long way in saving the future of many youths.
“There is need to regulate the number of liquor businesses being established within our areas as we can’t afford to dish out licenses carelessly to traders who also have intention to start businesses near schools and other key facilities," the MP said.
"I recommend that locals be involved through public participation over whether they want such establishments within their areas.”
Maina added that her office will continue supporting needy students especially the orphaned and the special needs children with education bursaries.
She noted that the beneficiaries of the Sh2.5 million will benefit 25 students from each ward where each student will be given Sh5,000.
The woman rep noted that her office is working towards bolstering the programme in an effort to ensure that students get full scholarships.
On his part, Baragwi Ward MCA David Mathenge said they will continue working with grassroots administrators in curbing illegal liquor.
He rallied his support behind the legal framework being crafted by county assemblies in a bid to eradicate the illegal substances saying Kirinyaga county assembly will be on the forefront in passing the bill.
