Liquor licencing meeting aborts as ‘drunk’ youth interrupt
The meeting organized by the County’s Liquour Licencing Board was meant to engage the public to collect views on their wish on whether to allow more bars to operate in the area.
However, a section of youth, who appeared drunk, disrupted the meeting that was going on at the Ol-Jabet Social Hall, where they shouted down people supporting total closure of all bars and Wines and Spirit outlets in the area.
Efforts by Marmanet Ward MCA Francis Mukuria to calm down the dissenting youth fell on deaf ears forcing women and a section of religious leaders to storm out of the meeting.
Mukuria had earlier made efforts to convince the residents on the need to actively participate and give their opinions.
Earlier on, the Chairman of the Liquour Licensing Board Mr. James Gichuru said it was a constitutional right to give the public an opportunity to give views on how to reduce the number of bars in the area.
He said the government was categorical that all second generation brews would not be licenced in the county.
Gichuru said this followed a presidential directive and hence must be supported adding that it was necessary for the public to understand which drinks have been declared illegal.
President Uhuru Kenyatta has in the past said that the crackdown on illicit brews and second generation alcohol will not relent and the Government will soon start mechanisms to rehabilitate youth affected by alcoholism.
The President said the National Government and counties will soon embark on programs to empower the thousands of youth who were rendered economically unproductive by the consumption of illegal alcohol.
He said illegal alcohol has broken down the youth and families in many parts of the country, adding that no effort will be spared in the fight against its production and use.
“When you turn the youth into addicts of illegal alcohol you are crippling the society and the whole country,” he said.
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