Liquor licensing in Kisumu County has been handed over to the county government after the county assembly passed laws guiding the sale and consumption of alcohol.
Kisumu County Commissioner Erastus Ekidor said the licensing previously with the national government in the office of the District Commissioner has now been moved to the county government.
Ekidor said it is clearly spelt in the constitution that the issuance of licensing will be devolved to the counties.
“The constitution is very clear that after the county assembly has passed the relevant laws the licensing can now be devolved to the counties,” he said.
The commissioner said the county assembly had formulated a law to guide the process thus the need to give the county the mandate.
Speaking in Kisumu, Ekidor said their role will now to enforce the law and enhance their collaboration with the county government to combat the illicit brew trade.
He called for a multi-stakeholder approach to address the scourge noting that combating illicit brew should not be a one man’s show.
“Let us all join hands and defeat this scourge, it should be left to the national and county government. It should be a concern for everybody,” he said.
The National Authority for Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) had stepped out to assist counties in the country to formulate laws guiding the sale and consumption of alcohols in the counties.
Nacada had developed a model law that gave the counties the lead on how to formulate such laws.