Principal Secretary for Internal Security and National Administration Raymond Omollo on behalf of the Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithur Kindiki, on Friday, April 21 announced that about 1.7 million litres of illicit brew were disposed off in a span of three months,
The crackdown came just months after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua declared war on the vice arguing that it affected the youth, which is the country's most productive workforce.
The PS noted that the operation will be intensified after early encouraging signs of success as part of the government plan to boost public health and upend the social and security challenges posed by the trade.
He added that the multi-agency team on the ground was under strict instructions to go hard on those involved in the trade, particularly the producers, distributors, and sellers.
According to the PS, the government retrieved hard drugs worth millions of shillings during the three months of the countrywide crackdown
"We must disrupt the trade to stand any chance of breaking the chain of harm that is flowing from the production to the consumption of these deadly drinks," he emphasised.
Omollo lamented that the high number was a sad reflection of the issue the country was dealing with emphasising that the government will fight trade from its source.
Some of the tactics the government aims at deploying include deploying other strategic interventions to suppress substance abuse and support addicts in their journey to recovery and quitting.
“We are now prioritising evidence-based approaches in our interventions and need to work together in harm reduction strategies, that include investing in education, healthcare, job creation, and social programs to help our people make wise choices,” he added.
From the statistics, North Eastern, Nyanza, Rift Valley, Central, Western, Eastern, Coast, and Nairobi recorded the highest to lowest number of cases reported respectively.
On his part, Gachagua informed all officers aiding the illicit brew that the government would not be lenient to them.
"It will now not be business as usual for those who have been destroying the lives of our youth, profiteering from the sale of killer illicit brew and drugs in Central Kenya," he added.
"The illicit brews have demolished the family structure. It is evident. We cannot let this continue further," he assured.
