The County government of Kirinyaga collected Kes19 million in unpaid taxes from unlicensed bars during the crackdown.

The crackdown on liquor businesses operating without licenses begun one week ago.

Kirinyaga County Governor Ann Waiguru has warned that the crackdown on unlicensed alcohol outlets will continue until every business is compliant.

She also noted that cartels in the County have been misleading bar owners against paying taxes.

Further, Waiguru assured traders that her administration is keen on listening to and addressing their grievances through a proposed bill to be tabled in the County Assembly.

Additionally, Waiguru told the bar owners in the County not to be misled by some officials.

"I am aware the chair of bar owners association in this County i has been pushing for non payment of licences despite one," she added.

Waiguru also urged bar owners to remain compliant or move to other counties.

 She was speaking in Mwea after launching an accelerated roads rehabilitation program for the Mwea Rice Irrigation Scheme that seeks to rehabilitate 200 km of roads before the arrival of the impending rains to achieve well-drained all-weather access roads as part of the programme.

She claimed that the County Assembly members and the Irrigation Water Users Association worked to identify the roads marked for renovation.

 The schemer will improve Nyamindi-Gathigiriri, Kiriko-Kamariandu, and Mahiga-ini-Mwathaini roads.

 The programme collaborates with the County government, Irrigation Water Users Association, County Executive, and the National Irrigation Authority (NIA).

Rice is grown on 30,600 acres of land in the Mwea Irrigation Scheme, with farmers harvesting the main crop in late November and the ratoon crop in early February.