Eight people are being held in police custody after they were arrested in a raid that was carried out in Kisii Township’s Bosongo and Nyaura Locations.
Six thousand litres of raw chang’aa and 20 litres of refined chang’aa were destroyed in the raid that took place in Kinonga and Gekomu villages.
The raid was carried out by Nyaura Location chief George Opanga assisted by Simion Makori Maobe of Kiamabundu sub-location and his counterpart, George Nyamwaka of Kisii Township sub-location.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday after the operation, chief Opanga said they will continue with the raid in an effort to restore sanity and peace in Kisii Town and its environs.
Chief Opanga called on members of the public to report anybody suspected of being involved in the illegal business, if they want law and order to prevail in their villages.
“We have a list of 25 homes but we managed to storm and destroy brewing dens in ten of them. We will continue with the operation in the remaining 15 homes and we will not relent with the operation till all those engaging in the illegal practice surrender. However, we ask the public to help us by providing us with information about the existence of these dens,” said Opanga.
The Nyaura senior chief noted that engaging in the brewing of the illicit brews among residents of Nyaura and other nearby areas has derailed development and led to increase number of school drop outs.
The operation is spearheaded by Nyanza South regional coordinator for Nacada and Kisii University chaplain Father Lawrence Nyaanga, who had called on the government to employ administrative action against rebellious local administration officers.
Father Nyaanga said some administration officers were a stumbling block in the fight against alcohol abuse as they have contributed to the escalation of the business in their areas of jurisdiction by soliciting for bribes from brewers.
He called on the administration to be in the forefront and join hands with all stakeholders in the war against illicit brews.
Father Nyaanga advised the brewers to engage in different businesses that can generate income for them instead of venturing in the illicit brew business.