Alcoholism and sale of illicit brew have always been a point of concern in Kiambu County.
The county government under the leadership of Governor Ferdinand Waititu has intensified the fight against the illegal business in efforts to rid the county of the illegal brew.Women in the county have on several occasions raised concern over the vice, noting that they are losing their sons and husbands to alcoholism.In March, more than 100 women from Gatundu South held a four-hour peaceful demonstration to protest against the increase of bars in the area.In 2015, the county made headlines after the then National Authority for Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) chairman John Mututho released statics showing that residents in Kiambu spend Sh14 billion on alcohol annually.According to the report, the county was spending more than what the national government spent (Sh13.5 billion) on free primary education in the 2014/2015 financial year.The statistics released by NACADA indicated that more than 450,000 Kiambu residents were spending at least Sh300 each on alcohol every day.“There are 861,000 registered voters in the county, there are more than 450,000 drinkers who spend Sh300 each on alcohol every day, amounting to more than Sh40 million daily,” read part of the NACADA report released on May 21, 2015.“More than half of labour workforce is lost as alcohol abuses reduce productive population into zombies while income from farming and other economic activities is spent in booze at the expense of farm inputs and development,” added Mututho.However, the Kiambu Liquor Regulation Board which was then led by Gladys Chania disputed the figures, terming them as “alarmist and lame”.“The statics are misleading as the county is now seen as an alcoholic zone, which is a major discouragement,” said Chania on May 25, 2015.Waititu is now facing an uphill task in his quest to eradicate illicit brews in the county.The county boss recently came under sharp criticism after ordering bar owners to apply for new licenses, in a move aimed at weeding out traders selling illicit brews.The county government has also launched a rehabilitation programme where it engages 3,000 alcoholic youth who are paid Sh400 daily for doing manual jobs.
The Governor also recently signed into law the Kiambu Alcoholic Drinks and Control Bill 2017 that bans residents below 21 years from being sold or served alcoholic drinks.
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