Embu county recommends 24-hour alcohol consumption

Embu Ward Representatives have revised the official alcohol consumption hours in the county from 5pm to 3pm from Monday to Friday in a bid to curb the proliferation of illicit liquor.

In an amendment to the Embu County Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill, 2019 County Assembly Trade Committee Chairman Lenny Masters Mwaniki also recommended sale and consumption of alcohol 24 hours a day.

The same reccomendations will be effective seven days a week in hotels, lodges, restaurants, members’ clubs and travellers’ lodges.

Supermarkets, Wines and spirits outlets will also be allowed to open to sell alcohol from 10am to 8.30pm while nightclubs and discotheques are now authorised to sell liquor from 2pm to 3am.

Theatres on the other hand, have been permitted to sell alcohol from 4pm to 11pm while bars will now be allowed to sell alcohol from 11am to 11pm during weekends and gazetted public holidays.

Evurore MCA Duncan Mbui observed that opening bars at 3pm would give government agencies charged with the mandate of inspecting the cleanliness of drinking dens and checking the quality of liquor sold ample time to do the due diligence.

He added that county enforcement officers would also have an opportunity to scrutinise business permits in good time.

Mbeti North MCA Peter Murithi was quick to point out that an increase in drinking hours was not condoning alcohol abuse, but was a way of rescuing the idle youth who do menial jobs at urban centres from illicit liquor.