Kiambu Governor, Ferdinand Waititu could go into the books of history as the first governor to totally eliminate illicit brew in his county.
The Kiambu County boss has put up a brave face in the fight against illicit liquor in the county. In his campaign manifesto, Waititu promised to eradicate alcoholism which is fuelled by readily available illicit brews across the 12 sub-counties in Kiambu.So far, over 1,000 bars across the county have already been shut down in a spirited, and ongoing crackdown on the illicit brews.The crackdown that was launched 3 months ago, has dealt a huge blow to brewers of illicit liquor. In March, the governor assented to the Kiambu County Alcoholic Drinks Control Act, 2017 which controls the manufacture, selling and consumption of alcohol in the county.Radically, the Act prohibits anyone less than 21 years of age from getting into a bar.“A licensee under this Act shall not allow a person under the age of twenty-one years to enter or gain access to the area in which the alcoholic drink is manufactured, stored, sold or consumed,” the law reads in part.Alcoholism rates have dropped since the crackdown was launched coupled with the fact that the county government rolled out a rehabilitation programme for those affected.The initiative, though supported and condemned in equal measure, is expected to impact positively on the community and Kiambu residents. Should the governor manage to bring alcoholism levels to zero, then, this will be a legacy he will be remembered for since Kiambu is one of the counties in the country reportedly with the highest number of alcoholics.