Former National Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) chairman John Mututho has criticised the government for increasing tax on alcoholic beverages and cigarettes by 15 per cent.
In the 2019/2020 budget which was read by the Treasury Cabinet Secretary Henry Rotich on Thursday has been termed as a blow to the consumers of alcohol and cigarettes as they will have to dig deeper into their pockets so as to afford their favourite liquor.
Addressing the press in Nakuru town, Mututho expressed his disappointment with the Treasury saying that the increase in prices of legit and verified alcohol will promote the consumption of illicit brews.
“The new policy will promote the use of unsafe traditional brews and development of harmful counterfeits. I totally disagree with the move to increase duty on alcohol,” Mututho said.
“Bringing the cost of alcohol lower closer to that of illicit liquor will see consumers move to the approved brands and kill consumption of chang’aa. This will have lesser impact on the consumers' health as opposed to the illicit,” argued Mututho