The Council of Kikuyu Elders has joined calls for tougher action against the sale of illicit and substandard alcoholic drinks blamed for a growing number of deaths in the Mt. Kenya region.
KCE National Chairman Wachira wa Kiago has accused NACADA, KEBS and the Government Chemist of laxity in enforcing alcohol regulations.
Wa Kiago also turned his guns on Central region county governments, accusing them of prioritizing revenue from alcohol licences at the expense of public safety.
He says legislators must also act against distributors supplying substandard alcoholic drinks to unsuspecting consumers.
The elders are now calling for tighter controls on traditional brews, including Murátina, saying counterfeit versions are increasingly being sold in villages.
KCE Secretary General James Nene says counties must put lives before revenue from bars and restaurants. His sentiments were echoed by the Council’s Chairman for Culture, Kinuthia wa Mwangi.
Meanwhile, Lari MP Mburu Kahangara has stepped up the crackdown on illicit alcohol following the deaths of three people in Kimende.
Kahangara convened a meeting with local administrators to establish the circumstances surrounding the deaths, with several other people still receiving treatment.
The legislator raised concern over delays in testing alcohol samples taken to the Government Chemist, claiming some results take more than three months.
Parliament is considering amendments aimed at strengthening the fight against alcohol and drug abuse, while working with county governments to regularize compliant bars and shut down illegal outlets.
Meanwhile, the area security team has ordered bars to operate strictly between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m.Those operating outside the stipulated hours will face action.
