Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has called on the county bosses to review the licensing of bars and restaurants.
Speaking on Thursday, January 19, during the commissioning of an affordable housing project in Ruiru, Kiambu County, the second in command suggested that every major town across the country should only have one bar.
“We want to appeal to our governors to sit down and agree that they cannot license each and every bar and restaurant to sell for 24 hours. It is wrong,” the deputy president said.
Gachagua said while the move to license bars and restaurants to operate 24 hours generates revenue, the move was destroying entire generations, especially the youths who have access to liquor every day.
“You license all bars to be bars and restaurants to increase revenue and in the process, we lose an entire generation. Even if you collect that revenue to build roads and the youths die, who will use them,”
“Even if you are looking for revenue, you cannot do it at the expense of our children. Let us just have one restaurant in a big town that sell for 24 hours,” Gachagua posed.
On his part, Kenya’s President William Ruto said the country must ruthlessly tackle alcoholism.
Ruto said that many lives were being lost and destroyed as a result of alcohol abuse.
“National and County Governments must work together to confront this problem,” Ruto said adding that it is now time alcohol is sold to designated areas only.
A nationwide survey conducted by NACADA Authority revealed that the number and frequency of deaths resulting from the consumption of adulterated alcoholic drinks have reached alarming levels.
The report further found that second-generation alcohol is the most available, affordable, and accessible across the country. Chang’aa and traditional liquor were reported to be the least available and accessible alcoholic drinks.
