Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has issued a stern warning to the Chiefs and their assistants in the Central Region who encourage the sale and brewing of illicit alcohol in areas of their jurisdiction.
DP Gachagua while in an interview with the Inooro TV on Sunday said they risk losing their jobs.
This comes days after the DP convened a high-powered meeting of top Central Kenya leaders in Nyeri to discuss the notorious issue of alcoholism and drug abuse in Central Kenya.
According to the latest statistics from the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), Central Kenya is at 12.8 percent and was ranked as the region with the highest consumption of alcohol countrywide, against a national average of 11.8 percent.
The country’s second in command directed all chiefs and their assistants to prepare and forward a list of all individuals involved in brewing and distribution of unlicensed liquor to their respective Sub County Police Commanders and Assistant County Commissioners by close of business on Wednesday this week.
The Deputy President said failure by individual officers to respond to the directive shall be construed to mean one has decided to take sides with those involved in the illicit trade.
“We have directed all leaders in the Mount Kenya region to intensify the fight against the brewing and consumption of illicit alcohol in their area as a matter of urgency. I have also ordered all chiefs and their assistant chiefs to get a list of all people involved in the business of brewing and ferrying of all proscribed brews in their localities and forward copies of the same to security agents in the sub-counties and a copy shared to my office by Wednesday this week. From the list, we shall now be in a position to go for the specific individuals who are currently fueling this drinking craze in the Central Region,” he said.
SOURCE: KNA