Nakuru bar owners join fight against substandard brews

Bar owners in Nakuru County have thrown their weight behind the government’s efforts to eradicate the sale of illicit liquor, saying besides claiming the lives of Kenyans, the vice is subjecting genuine businessmen to losses running into billions of shillings.

The businessmen under the auspices of the Nakuru Bar Owners Association (NBOA) have further called for comprehensive measures by both the counties and national government aimed at curbing the consumption of killer brews in Kenya.

NBOA Chairman Dr. Abdul Noor urged the law enforcement agencies and licensing teams established by various county Governments and the National Police Service to ensure stringent compliance with the Laws regulating the sale and consumption of alcohol.

While advising bar owners to buy supplies from accredited distributors to avoid briefcase merchants who sell counterfeits, Dr. Noor said the manufacture and distribution of killer brews can be traced to a few selfish individuals who want to enrich themselves as they endanger the lives and health of Kenyans.

He accused cartels of working with the full knowledge of some unscrupulous state agents tasked with ensuring drinks are safe from fueling the trade in lethal alcoholic beverages.

“For lives to be lost and alcohol addiction to grow day by day, it means somebody somewhere is not doing their work since we have policies in place and institutions are well staffed. Somebody must take responsibility,” the Chairman demanded.

He called on the Kenya Revenue Authority and law enforcement agents to probe the source of toxic ingredients used to manufacture lethal brews and claimed that he had information that some of the substances were being sneaked into the country from a neighbouring State.