Uasin Gishu County is the model region where war against alcohol and substance abuse is close to be won, the National Agency for Campaigns Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) has said.
Speaking in a public sensitization forum at Borabu, Nyamira County, Monday, NACADA’s Chief Executive Victor Okioma said the County is among some few devolved units across the Country where the fight against illegal trade of alcoholic substances was strongly being resisted and edged out.
Okioma said the county has a strong and focused multiagency committee which has strongly stamped its authority in the fight against illicit brews and abusive substances.
In the licensing of liquor traders, he said the County Government was working harmoniously with all stakeholders involved in the war against the substances.
This, he said, is the model which Nacada was using in extending its campaigns to the grassroots during the 100 days Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) which was launched in March last by Interior Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang’i.
Some other Counties, the CEO said, were not keen on issuing licenses to genuine traders but instead were having interest of increasing revenue collections through issuance of licenses even to unqualified traders.
“As an agency we can say we have moved many strides towards the right direction, but some counties are not moving with us because they are only interested in issuing as many licenses as possible for them to achieve revenue targets, something which is going to seriously jeopardize our gains,” Mr Okioma said.
County Commissioner Amos Mariba on his part said the County Government was an impediment especially on licensing of liquor traders.
“The multiagency committee had licensed around 140 bars and liquor outlets across the county, but currently, more than double the number of such premises trading in alcohol has been licensed by the County Government,” Mariba said.
Mariba said already, the multiagency approach in dealing with the problem has started working and many gains have been realized as a result.
During the seminar, 10 women who have been involved in brewing illegal alcohol confessed and came out in public, vowing to help the Government in finishing the illegal business.
Mariba said the government will help the reformed women transit smoothly to alternative business.
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