Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has issued a fresh warning to dealers in illicit and harmful alcoholic drinks, saying the Government will intensify inspections and arrests to protect Kenyans from poisonous substances.
Prof Kindiki said authorities would pursue traders who manufacture or distribute dangerous alcoholic products, including those operating from informal premises and mixing chemicals for sale as liquor.
“Your days are numbered. We will come for you,” the Deputy President warned, declaring that no one would be allowed to endanger lives by selling poisonous drinks.
He spoke on Friday at the Limuru Milk Processing Plant grounds in Kiambu County, where he flagged off nine milk coolers destined for dairy cooperative societies in the county.
Prof Kindiki, who previously served as Interior and National Administration Cabinet Secretary, compared the planned crackdown on illicit alcohol to previous security operations against terrorists and bandits.
“We have fought Al-Shabaab and bandits. We cannot be defeated by illicit alcohol traders,” he said.
He said some dealers were operating without premises and using chemicals to manufacture products that were later sold to unsuspecting consumers.
The Deputy President said orders had been issued for inspections of alcohol manufacturing facilities to establish whether they meet quality, safety and public health requirements before their products reach the market.
“We are going to inspect all alcoholic manufacturers’ premises to ensure that they comply with quality and public health standards before they take their products to the market,” he said.
The renewed campaign follows concerns over deaths and illnesses linked to harmful alcoholic drinks in parts of the Mt Kenya region.
Prof Kindiki said the Government would not relent in efforts to curb the manufacture and sale of unsafe alcohol, citing recent deaths in Kiambu and earlier cases in Kirinyaga.
“We lost our people recently here in Kiambu and previously in Kirinyaga. We will not allow anyone to threaten the lives of Kenyans through the sale of harmful drinks,” he said.
The Deputy President also pledged to support the campaign in response to appeals from elders in the Mt Kenya region.
Away from the alcohol crackdown, Prof Kindiki used the Limuru event to highlight Government efforts to reduce losses in the dairy sector and increase farmers’ earnings through cooling, processing and value addition.
The nine milk coolers were part of 227 units that have so far been distributed to dairy farmers and cooperatives across the country.
Kiambu has received 13 coolers at a cost of Sh98.14 million, with the Government estimating that more than 21,500 dairy farmers will benefit.
The equipment is expected to save about 15.7 million litres of milk from wastage annually, translating into an estimated Sh769 million in income that would otherwise be lost.
“The best way to increase earnings for milk farmers is to ensure there are no losses from waste,” Prof Kindiki said.
He said the initiative was part of commitments made to farmers during the last election campaign, adding that interventions in the dairy sector had contributed to a significant increase in milk production and processing.
Kenya, he said, had emerged as Africa’s leading producer of processed milk.
The Deputy President also called for political tolerance in the Mt Kenya region, urging residents not to allow political differences to degenerate into hostility or violence.
He said political competition should not be used to turn communities against one another and pledged to remain focused on Government duties and service delivery.
“We must be united. Incitement and violence is not politics. It is criminal and unacceptable,” he said.
Prof Kindiki said residents should not be persuaded to fight one another because of political personalities or differences in political choices.
The Deputy President said development projects worth about Sh52 billion were either ongoing or being implemented in Kiambu.
They include 29 modern markets, housing projects, student hostels and road programmes across the county.
He said several roads had been completed while others were under construction, with the planned expansion of the Muthaiga Roundabout Kiambu Town road corridor nearing completion.
The dairy initiative, he said, was part of broader Government efforts to improve household incomes by supporting farmers beyond primary production and creating capacity for storage, processing and value addition.
Prof Kindiki was accompanied by Limuru MP Chege Kiragu, Thika Town MP Alice Ng’ang’a, Lari MP Mburu Kahangara, Kiambu Woman Representative Anne Wamuratha, Kiambaa MP Njuguna Kawanjiku, Members of the County Assembly and Livestock Principal Secretary Jonathan Mueke.
