Elgeyo Marakwet County to kick off WhatsApp group for alcoholics

Elgeyo Marakwet governor Alex Tolgos now says that the county is planning to start a WhatsApp group that will see residents of the county contribute money to enable alcohol brewers go for rehabilitation.

Speaking during the graduation of 70 women brewers at Ukweli Training Centre, the governor said that rehabilitating alcoholics is  a collective responsibility, he called for everyone to support the initiative since alcoholism affects everyone in the society.

Tolgos added that they have decided to deal with brewers, as they are the source of all the problems. He vowed to ensure that brewing in the county comes to an end.

On his part, the Manager Ukweli Training Centre, Mr. Denis Kurgat, said that the graduands were trained on alternative businesses, and 80 percent of them had already embarked these alternative ventures.

Kurgat added that arresting brewers is never enough, as these people resort to the brewing as a means of making ends meet. Instead, he said brewers must be given alternative source of revenue.

According to NACADA, Elgeyo Marakwet is the leading county in illicit brewing in the country and costs the country Ksh.5 billion annually.