Residents of Witeithie village in Juja sub county, Kiambu County have sounded an alarm over the wanton sale of second generation liquor that is reported to have led to the deaths of several consumers.
Also concerned are bar operators who claim that the illicit drinks are sold in unlicensed dens that give them undue competition and also deny the government revenue.
At least three people are reported to have died after consuming the poisonous stuff that is said to be transported from as far as Kenol in Murang’a County, among other supply areas.
“My brother died as a result of consumption of these cheap drinks which are sold between 25 and 30 shillings. I am appealing to the government to take action and end this menace,” said a resident Joseph Thuku.
He explained how his younger brother George Chege, a small scale trader who was progressive and had even built an expensive house in their Murang’a rural home, became a casualty of the cheap liquor.
“He had even started constructing a house worth Sh 2 million before he became addicted to the illicit liquor. This led him to part ways with his wife, before he got sick and eventually died from liver failure,” Thuku added.
It has also emerged that these illegal alcohol joints which operate on a 24-hour basis, also act as a conduits for the trafficking of drugs and contraband substances in Witeithie.
The dealers are reported to have hired young men to peddle rolled sticks of bhang from designated joints.
“You will see these young and visibly ‘charged’ youth at various wines and spirits joints where customers come to pick the stuff,” a concerned villager disclosed.
Locals gave the names of the notorious joints, some located only a few meters from the local police station.
Residents say the liquor dens, mostly operating as wines and spirits outlets, are not licensed, but sale goes on day and night unabated.
In some of the joints, we observed that they apparently remain closed but not under key and lock, allowing customers easy access.
Most of the clients being touts and other “hustlers” at the Witeithie highway stage, flock in and out in drones from as early as 8am.
Shockingly, some of the ‘patrons’ are very young, supposedly in their teenage years, a thing that raised concern from parents.
Villagers claim that chiefs and local security officers have been compromised by sellers, some allegedly receiving bribes on a daily or weekly basis, to turn a blind eye.
Reached for comment, Juja Deputy County Commissioner Daniel Ndege said he has received complaints from concerned parties and added that a multi-agency team has been formed to deal with the menace.
“We are taking decisive action involving a multi-agency team. I do not want to divulge details of the operation because we don’t want their moles to leak information,” Ndege said.
A bar operator from Juja, Paul Karanja said the sale of second generation alcohol has badly affected the business as most of the customers are flocking to these outlets, crippling their business.
“Unfortunately, the consumers of these brews are the ones who dictate terms. They don’t care about the effects of the lethal stuff they consume, they simply want to get drunk,” Karanja added.
This, he noted, has led to genuine liquor businesses to incur losses or even close down for lack of customers.
Some of the operators are said to be in a panic after getting wind of an impending crackdown.
One of the suspected drug and illicit alcohol dealers in Witeithie area, known famously as ‘Bena’ has been in and out of police and court cells countless times.
He is reportedly behind the manufacture of illegal brews which are discreetly carted into some selet outlets and onwards to the consumers.
The suspect has previously been fined and handed custodial sentences but always bounces back to continue with the illegal business.
This also brings to the spotlight the Kiambu county government which is the licensing authority.
Efforts to get a comment from local county officials proved futile as they were unreachable.
Similar incidents have been reported in parts of Murang’a, where a man was recently fined Sh 9.2 million after being found guilty of multiple offences related to illegal manufacture and possession of alcoholic products and counterfeit excise stamps.
Dennis Muiruri Kamande was convicted and sentenced by Resident Magistrate Renna Jakinda of the Kenol law courts, in a judgment delivered on June 10, 2026. The magistrate ordered the accused to pay the fine or alternatively serve four years in jail.
Kamande faced six counts under the Excise Duty Act, 2015 and the Anti-Counterfeit Act, 2008.
The charges included manufacturing excisable goods without a valid excise duty licence, possessing excisable goods obtained in contravention of the law, possessing alcoholic products affixed with counterfeit excise stamps, and trading in counterfeit goods.
In her ruling, Ms Jakinda said the prosecution led by Ms Peris Gathu had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt after presenting evidence from 11 witnesses.
