Gachagua proposes stiffer penalties to make it next to impossible to sell alcohol in Central Kenya

Gachagua proposes stiffer penalties to make it next to impossible to sell alcohol in Central Kenya

DP Rigathi Gachagua addresses representatives of five county assemblies when he opened a three-day consultative meeting on May 5, 2023. PHOTO | DPCS

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has asked Central Kenya Counties to enact tough laws to curb manufacturing, sale and consumption of illicit brews and substance abuse.

Key among his proposed measures includes the formation of liquor licensing boards comprising people with integrity, and forfeiture to county governments of motor vehicles ferrying illegal alcohol.

DP Gachagua spoke when he addressed representatives of five county assemblies from Nyeri, Murang’a, Nyandarua, Kirinyaga and Kiambu, in Naivasha, Nakuru County, when he opened a three-day consultative meeting on establishment of uniform laws on illicit brew on Thursday evening.

The Deputy President said stringent laws and deterrent measures will make it hard for alcohol manufacturers and traders to engage in counterfeit second generation liquor.

“I ask you to consider reestablishing the liquor licensing boards that will be vetting application for permits by business persons to trade in alcohol. Membership should include the County Commissioners, Director of Criminal Investigations, National Campaign Against Drug and Authority (NACADA), public health officers, the religious leaders, among other men and women of integrity,” he said.

Those that sit in the board will also need to be vetted by the respective county assembly, he proposed, adding that they can also be impeached if they fail to execute their duties by a simple majority of 50+1%.

The Deputy President said that the proposed law should “make it next to impossible to sell alcohol.”

“Consider proposing what can be done to motor vehicles found transporting illicit and illegal alcohol. They should be forfeited to the county governments,” he stated.

Gachagua said that lack of effective legal framework was one of the major challenges facing eradication of illicit brew.

"The current pieces of legislation and regulations have not been helpful or effective in solving the proliferation of the menace. In Nyandarua County, for instance, there is no legal framework to regulate alcohol consumption and trade. In the other counties, the laws were hastily enacted and have not helped the situation," he said. 

The forum is aimed at developing a uniform draft legislation that will be tabled in the county assemblies for debate before being subjected to public participation for enactment.

Participants of the forum include lawyers and State counsels from the office of the Attorney General and National Assembly as well as national government officers from the Anti-Counterfeit Agency, National Police Service, Kenya Bureau of Standards and NACADA.

Among other proposals by Gachagua is control in issuance of liquor trading licenses such as consideration of an outlet per distance and population.

“Applications for trading in liquor should not be issued throughout the year. Consider allowing a window of two to three weeks for making application, vetting and appeal of the decision,” he said.

In addition, the country’s second-in-command called for heavy penalties for those selling alcohol to persons under the age of 18 years.

Asking the participants to commit themselves in the law-making process, the DP told them that they have a responsibility to save the next generation by providing a solution towards eradication of the menace.

“You have a date with destiny; you have a date with history. The people depend on you to provide leadership. We cannot accept a situation where our mothers and women are crying because of hopelessness,” he said.

He added that by Monday next week, he expects a draft of the law, which will be subjected to county assembly procedures. The county assemblies are expected to have passed the law before June 30, 2023.

“I will come for the public participation fora; that is how serious I am,” he said.

The five counties were priority because alcohol and substance abuse is prevalent in the region according to NACADA.

The Deputy President said that he was instructed by President William Ruto to provide leadership in eradicating the menace in Central Kenya, adding that these counties will be a model for other regions across the country.

This is one of a series of meetings that the DP has held with the National Government Administrative Officers, top security chiefs, office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Members of Parliament, Governors and Members of the County Assemblies.

He has also held discussions with relevant regulatory and monitoring agencies such as Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) among others.

The laws of the five counties will be complementary to the national piece of legislation on control of alcohol.

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Central Kenya DP Rigathi Gachagua Alcohol abuse

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