KEBS suspends 367 alcoholic brands in illicit brew crackdown

The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has suspended 367 alcoholic beverage brands as part of the ongoing crackdown on illicit alcoholic drinks.

In a statement issued by KEBS Managing Director Charles Ongwae, KEBS said it had written to all manufacturers to stop production of Potable Spirits until they are inspected and cleared by the Inter Government-Agency team.

KEBS released the letter to all the certified firms suspending the permits in line with the Standards Act Cap 496 section 10A (1) and regulation 11 of the standardization Marks (Permits and Fees) to immediately stop the production as they await inspection and clearance.

KEBS is working with the Inter Government-Agency team set up to carry out the inspection of the premises and sampling for analysis of all manufactured potable spirit.

This comes after following the decision by the Government (County governments and the national government) to immediately suspend licenses for all Portal Spirit (popularly referred as second generation alcoholic drinks) until an Inter-agency team carries out a nationwide inspection of premises and analysis of alcoholic products to ensure that they meet Kenya Standards.

The crackdown on illicit killer brews in Kenya started Thursday morning in earnest as directed by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Wednesday.

The campaign will be spearheaded by General Service Unit (GSU) commandant Joel Kitili in close collaboration with the MPs who will report their progress to the President on Tuesday when they convene again at State House.

“As elected leaders, you know where and who is behind these brews. My phone will be open 24 hours this weekend. Call me when you need me.”

President Kenyatta mandated the MPs and other stakeholder to move from door to door closing all outlets selling illicit drinks and destroying those in the process of manufacturing and sale the drinks.

The President said in the same way the notorious Mungiki group had been eradicated during President Mwai Kibaki’s tenure, the war against the illicit brews must be won.

President Kenyatta also instructed the National Youth Service (NYS) director Nelson Githinji to start a parallel campaign of rounding up drunk and addicted youth to put them in special centres for rehabilitation.