Government issues tough Directives on ending illicit brews, drugs and substance abuse

The Government has suspended the sale of second-generation alcohol nationally for fresh vetting of the manufacturers as the war against illicit brews and drug abuse has been intensified. 

The licenses for the alcohol distillers and manufacturers have also been suspended for the vetting that will be done in the next three weeks.

Announcing the stringent directives to boost the war against illicit alcoholic drinks, drugs and substance abuse after a high-level meeting chaired by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua at Official Residence in Karen, Nairobi on Wednesday, Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki said the licenses will be vetted in the next 21 days. 

“All existing valid licenses will be vetted afresh within 21 days of this directive, with premises approved to resume operations only upon receipt of fresh approval,” the CS said. 

The suspension is among the 25 far-reaching stringent measures to be rolled out immediately to boost the war against the illicit alcoholic drinks.

Further, the Government has also banned public officers directly involved in the enforcement or compliance in the sale of Alcoholic Drinks from operating bars in line with the Public Ethics Act.  

“In line with the Public Ethics Act, all public officers in the enforcement/compliance chain (KRA, KEBS, Anti-Counterfeit Authority, Public Health, NACADA, NGAO, National Police Service) shall not own and operate a bar directly or via proxy. All public officers currently operating such premises are required to shut them down or resign from the service with immediate effect,” said CS Kindiki.

 The Deputy President said the new directives must be fully implemented immediately as ordered by President William Ruto.

“President William Ruto, who chairs the National Security Council, has given clear and unequivocal instructions to us that the matter of drug and substance abuse has reached alarming proportions and is a serious threat to our national security. The Government has decided that this matter has to be dealt with as an existential threat to the existence of the republic because of what poison disguised as alcohol has done to our people,” said DP Gachagua.

Other measures to be implemented immediately are withdrawal of licenses of bars established within residential areas and around basic educational institutions, fresh verification of licenses of chemists and agrovets by the Pharmacy and Poisons Board and the Veterinary Medicines Directorate in the next 30 days. Additionally, the Ministry of Interior and National Administration will develop measures for the branding and colouring of vehicles transporting alcoholic drinks and tobacco products. The transportation has also been restricted to between 6am and 6pm. These guidelines should be in place in the next 14 days. 

Also the Kenya Bureau of Standards has been ordered to review guidelines on minimum quantity of alcoholic with a view of enhancing the same from 250ml to 750ml.

All enforcement agencies have been directed to vet officers at the border points, highways and regional offices. Only officers of integrity and good standing will be appointed to conduct surveillance at the border points. 

The Government has also banned with immediate effect, the manufacture, sale, use, advertisement and distribution of shisha. The counties have been asked to enforce this directive without fail.

"Any establishment found in breach of this provision will be shut down with immediate effect," the Government said in a statement read by the Cabinet Secretary for Interior Kithure Kindiki.

Further, the Ministry of Health will issue directives to all Level 3 hospitals to establish wards solely dedicated for rehabilitation of alcohol and drug addicts. 

Highlighting a recent incident where 23 people were killed by poisonous drinks in Kirinyaga, the Deputy President stated that there have been challenges of enforcement and licensing of alcohol traders.

He informed the high-level meeting that President Ruto has directed that the new measures be implemented without failure.

“Officers who fail to perform their duties will not be transferred; we will not transfer a failure but will dismiss them from the service. We have to bring sanity to our country,” he stated.

Regional Commissioner for Rift Valley, Abdi Hassan, said there is need for stringent measures on control of ethanol and reintroduction of low-cost alcohol to curb second generation drinks.

He also called for engagements and a working framework between Prosecutors and courts over the crackdown of illegal brews and drugs. 

“The national government administration officers are determined and focused to eradicate the menace. We are ready to receive the instructions and implement them,” said Mr Hassan, who is the chairperson of the eight-member regional commissioners’ caucus.

In his remarks, the DP also asked police officers at the border points to pull up their socks to control importation of contraband goods. He said they are the weak-link.

“Ethanol bhang must not come through our borders because you are there and you have work to do. We are going to talk to officers from KRA, KEBS and NACADA and all the others. That is the weakest link in this fight especially on bhang and ethanol. It will not be business as usual,” he told the officers.

The Government has also requested Kenyans to report the manufacture, sale, storage and consumption of illicit drinks through a toll free number 1192.