Taita Taveta Governor Mwadime orders reopening of bars closed by Gov’t

Taita Taveta Governor Andrew Mwadime has directed bars and liquor businesses granted operating licenses by the devolved unit's Liquor and Licensing Committee to remain open despite the national government revoking their permits.

In a statement released on Friday, Mwadime argued that the Committee observed all legal and required protocols when issuing the licenses, further highlighting that closure of the establishment goes against the provisions of the Taita Taveta County Alcoholic Drinks Control and Licensing Act 2016.

"It has come to my attention that the Taita Taveta County security team has closed down legal businesses of law-abiding citizens and withdrawn their licenses contrary to the Act which states that the Sub-County Committee shall after considering the application, indicate in writing whether it objects to the grant of the licence applied for," said Mwadime.

"Where the Sub-County Committee has no objection to the application it shall grant a licence to the applicant upon payment of the prescribed fees. Every license and every renewal, transfer, withdrawal, or cancelation thereof shall be sufficiently authenticated by the sub-county committee. The Sub-County committee may revoke a icense n accordance with the Act."

As such, Mwadime went on, the national government has no legal mandate to withdraw any licenses issued by the Committee.

"The Alcoholic Drinks Control Act (2010), clearly stipulates that it is the function of the County Government to issue liquor licenses.  Any licenses that were issued by the committee after meeting the criteria stipulated in the Act shall not be withdrawn and their businesses must not be closed," he said.

"Therefore, I direct all businesses Inspected, approved, and issued with valid liquor licenses to continue operating within the stipulated time frame."

The development comes after the government on March 6 announced new far-reaching measures aimed at eradicating illicit brews, drugs and substance abuse in the country.

This followed a meeting convened by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua of all Regional and County National Government Administration Officers (NGAO), and Security Teams, including County Police Commanders from the Kenya Police Service, Administration Police Service and Directorate of Criminal Investigations. 

To mitigate the illicit alcohol and substance abuse crisis in the country, the government, among other measures, decreed that all licenses and certification permits for second-generation alcohol and alcoholic beverage distillers and manufacturers, issued by Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) be suspended with immediate effect. 

"All existing valid licenses will be vetted afresh within 21 days of this directive, with premises approved to resume operations only upon receipt of fresh approval," Interior CS Prof. Kithure Kindiki said then. 

The Interior boss on Friday also announced that the government had shut down at least 9,500 unlicensed bars and 4,800 establishments selling alcohol near schools in the nationwide crackdown on illicit liquor and drugs.