Nairobi to carry out crackdown on liquor outlets

The Nairobi County Liquor licensing Board has announced plans to carry out random sampling of all liquor outlets and producers to ensure the standards of producing and packaging are maintained.

The board has warned all proprietors operating liquor businesses without licenses saying they will be prosecuted and the outlets closed.

Proprietors have until April 2016, to either renew or apply for licenses.

Board chairman Vincent Shimoli said the county intends to establish three rehabilitation centers targeting hundreds of alcohol and drug addicts.

Shimoli further said the team will also have a mandate of undertaking random visits to outlets specifically targeting underage drinking.

He pointed out that Nairobi County has more than 20,000 liquor outlets that are not licensed.

A Renewed fight

Two days ago, Interior PS Karanja Kibicho sacked eight chiefs in Thika over failure to manage the illicit brew menace in their locations.

Speaking to residents in Thika, Kibicho warned administrators against participating in the vice, adding that the move was targeted at chiefs who had failed to tame the trade in illicit brews in their locations.

This came hot in the heels of the sacking of another administrator in Nakuru County after he was caught on camera drunk, apparently from consuming illicit brew.

The administrator was caught drunk during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s visit to Molo last week and the video clip circulated widely on social media.

There have been heightened operations against illicit brew – an effort spearheaded by Interior Principal Secretary Karanja Kibicho.

In this second phase of the crackdown, several chiefs and their assistants from Mt. Kenyan region have been fired.

Kibicho’s sentiments were also echoed by Laikipia County Assembly Speaker Patrick Mariru who assured that the government was committed in ensuring that the vice was eradicated in the country.

“It is high time that Kenyans rise up in order to tackle the menace that has continued to consume the lives of young people,” he said.