A proposal by Nacada chairman John Mututho on Monday that the legal drinking age be raised from 18 to 21 years has elicited mixed reactions from residents in Nakuru town
Whereas some residents lauded the proposal as positive, others dismissed it as misguided and driven by emotions.
Jonathan Kibe, a parent said it was necessary that alcohol should only be sold to those deemed mature enough and endorsed the proposal.
"You see, an 18 or 20-year-old is only experimenting with alcohol and may not really handle its effects as opposed to a much older person," he said.
However, Allan Otieno, a student in one of the town's college, sharply differed with the position saying age was nothing when it comes to handling the effects of alcohol.
He said even older people end up messing after having one too many.
"In fact , some teenagers act smarter and responsibly than the 30 or 40-year-olds. We should allow sobriety to define the course of this proposal and not emotions and passion," he recommended.
Sammy Osero also noted that as long as one could afford a drink and had hit the majority's age, there was no point of ordering them around as they would always get a way out.
Mututho's proposal comes in the wake of a grisly road accident in which five teenagers suspected of being drunk, died when the saloon car they were travelling in lost control and rammed into an oncoming passenger bus on New Year's day in Salgaa.
Mututho said raising the legal drinking age would ensure only adults have access to alcoholic drinks.