Deputy President Rigathi Gachgua's recent crackdown on illicit brew in which he announced that some bars' licenses would be revoked, got support from rare individuals.
This is after bar owners who felt Gachagua's directive was for their own good threw their weight behind the DP indicating that its implementation will save their businesses.
Speaking to the media on Sunday, January 29, bar owners from Kiambu county, stated that the illicit brew businesses lead to poor sales in their bars as residents would go for the cheap liquor.
“Illicit brew and drugs have affected our businesses greatly because the brews are sold at cheap prices than genuine liquor.
We have invested and rented stalls but we are making no money because many people opt to use the illegal brews even if they are unhealthy just because they are cheap,” they noted.
In addition, they explained that illegal businesses that sell illicit brew within their locality had led to unemployment in different departments as the bars also act as sources of income for some small businesses.
“We have no customers. Our businesses support a lot of other small businesses like carwash, hawkers, artists who come to entertain, cooks, and even those who sell groceries.
When our businesses go down, these other businesses are also affected,” they stated.
Speaking during the launch of a bursary program in Murang’a, Gachagua called on provincial administrators to work with county governments in the war against illegal brewing and consumption of illegal liquor.
In the new crackdown, chiefs, sub-chiefs, and regional commanders will forge a partnership to tackle the growing menace, especially in rural areas.
He maintained that he only wanted the industry to curb illicit brew that had affected many youths adding that the media misquoted him.
According to the Deputy President, licensed businesses would not be harassed in the process. Following the DP's directive, a number of bars rushed to secure licenses to avoid being shut down.
