Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has ordered the immediate closure of all liquor outlets in the county following the deaths of 17 people after consuming illicit brew.
Speaking on Saturday at Kangai Primary School, Waiguru said the devolved unit has withdrawn all licenses issued to the bars to allow for fresh vetting.
Further, the County boss said no alcohol outlet will be allowed to operate in the county until it is vetted and found to comply with liquor licensing regulations.
“I have today ordered the closure of all bars in Kirinyaga to pave the way for fresh vetting, those bars that will be found to have been operating without license or had previous cases of selling unauthorized products will not be allowed to open again,” Waiguru said.
The illicit brew that killed and left others blinded at Kangai and Kandongu villages is suspected to have been laced with ethanol.
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Additionally, she urged all law enforcement agencies to act closure order to get rid of illicit brews from towns and villages.
“We have put in place tighter liquor outlets registration and inspection mechanisms that require the support of the law enforcement agencies to implement. This has been the missing link,” Waiguru said.
She asked County Government staff operating liquor outlets to choose between venturing into business or retaining employment.
Eleven staff from the county government were operating bars, creating a conflict of interest and a hindrance to enforcing the liquor licensing regulations.
Waiguru stated that no one is safe from illicit brews, saying unscrupulous traders are packaging third-generation brew into bottles belonging to popular brands and using fake Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA) and Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) stamps to get their products onto the shelves.
