Illicit brew crackdown in Kiambu should be focused

Kiambu, Sunday June 4, 2023

KNA by Elizabeth Wanja

The chairman of the Kiambu County Liquor Welfare Association, Richard Kagiri has called upon the County government to legislate stringent measures in the fight against illicit brews.

However according to the chairman, the crackdown being carried out by security agents should be targeted to those intended.

Speaking to KNA, Kagiri alleged that the ongoing clampdown of illicit drugs and brews in the country has resulted in harassment, imprisonment and condemnation of genuine bar operators who are over 4,600.

The government through the National Police Service, Administrative Police and chiefs have been stepping up its crackdown on illegal brews which has affected bars, wineries, and spirits stores.

This, Kagiri said is welcome but noted that most of the police officers have been harassing and arresting those operating lawfully making their lives and their businesses unmanageable.

He further accused the government saying it is waging a war against its citizens, criminalizing the majority of them for engaging in the legitimate alcohol trade by selling beer supplied legally by East African Breweries Limited (EABL) and this has resulted in most of them losing jobs.

“In the course of the crackdown operation, brews that are known to be legal on the market such as beer and keg barrels owned by East African Breweries (EABL), London Distillers and Liquors from Kenya Wine Agencies Limited (KWAL), have been seized yet they are legal,” Kagiri said.

He explained that those arrested are taken to court and penalized or given community service while others receive fines as high as Sh. 50,000 or freed on Sh. 300,000 bail.

According to Kagiri, the selling of alcohol is not governed by Gazette County law and therefore it would not be in order for genuine business people to be punished for doing the right thing.

However, the Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Titus Macharia has dismissed the claims of the alleged harassment of genuine bar operators stating that they only weed out those in violation of the Alcohol Drinks Control Act.

“The bars that face the law must have all been in trouble with the law at some point such as businesses that sell alcohol outside the designated hours and do not have an operating license,” the commissioner said.

Some outlets, the DCC said, have been flouting liquor rules and regulations with impunity and even operating beyond the stipulated hours.

Jane Wambui, a Kiambu resident, wants all alcohol outlets in the villages to close down, as illicit brews have had a negative impact on young people.

She criticized the authorities for seeming to be fighting illegal brews but not enough as most of them, she said, continue to accept bribes from the vendors and arresting individuals found intoxicated on the street or in clubs to give the impression that they are taking action.

Kiambu is among some of some of the counties that over the years are considered production hub of illicit brew and just one month ago in April, the National Police Service during a crackdown together with KRA seized assorted illicit wines and spirits at a residential house in Thika sub county while 4 months ago over 100 people in Kiambu found selling illicit liquor were arrested.

 Courtesy ; K. N. A