Several individuals operating illegal liquor stores in Dagoretti South have been arrested following the alleged assault of Nairobi County government officers.
In a statement on Tuesday, Nairobi Chief Officer for the Environment Geoffrey Mosiria said that the individuals had allegedly hired goons to attack officers from the county government who had visited the premises to ensure compliance.
Mosiria also noted that he had received numerous complaints from neighbouring residents about the excessive noise coming from the premises.
Despite multiple warnings from the county government, the businesses' management remained non-compliant.
The operation was spearheaded by officers from the Liquor Licensing Board in collaboration with the police. The supervisor of the store, according to Mosiria, will soon be arraigned in court.
"The people in this area have complained that they don't want people selling liquor stores because if you look at this area, there are many children and there are many residential," Mosiria said.
"We have also been receiving persistent complaints of noise pollution from area residents about the establishment. During a previous raid, the owner mobilized goons to confront our officers, and they destroyed their vehicles," he added.
The closure of the store comes at a time when the Nairobi County government has reinforced its crackdown against businesses that remain non-compliant with environmental regulations, especially in terms of waste and noise pollution.
Illegal Waste Burning
Just one day ago, Mosiria issued a stern warning to all Nairobi landlords who condone or facilitate illegal waste burning in their estates and premises.
Mosiria issued the warning after a security guard was caught burning waste in a residential compound in one of the Nairobi estates, in contravention of environmental regulations.
Under the Nairobi County Air Quality Act of 2021, any individual found burning waste without approval commits an offense, which carries a penalty of not less than Ksh 500,000 or a minimum of six months' imprisonment, or both.
"I also found evidence that this was not the first time such burning had taken place; the dry ash around the area confirmed it. Smoke entering people’s houses poses serious health risks. Children are affected the most, and for individuals with asthma or other respiratory conditions, this makes their situation even worse," Mosiria said in a statement on Monday, November 17.
