Interior Ministry Cabinet Secretary (CS) Kithure Kindiki on Wednesday, December 14, announced the formation of a multi-agency to tame Kenyan revelers who engaged in excess consumption of alcohol during the festive season.
The crackdown specifically targeted illegal liquor joints and revelers frequenting those joints.
The launch was witnessed by Interior Permanent Secretary Raymond Omollo who assured Kenyans that the government would implement measures aimed at curbing the vice.
“We are already at the festive period we have Christmas coming up and New Year, and there is an expectation that there will be a spike in substance abuse and hence the need for this multiagency coordination,” the PS explained.
The PS further explained that the crackdown would focus on joints that did not comply with the requisite standards.
“We will be targeting facilities that are not licensed, we will also arrest clubs or individuals selling alcohol or other substances that do not meet the required standards,” Omollo revealed.
The crackdown on illicit liquor veers from the consultative approach Kindiki vowed to use when he was being vetted for the interior CS position.
“Alcohol is a national problem but instead of a top-down approach in fighting illicit brew we need another alternative.”
“We may need to start a conversation in the areas where this is rampant instead of using violent and decisive crackdowns on illicit alcohol,” the CS told the parliamentary vetting committee on October 18, 2022.
Drunk driving has been named one of the main causes of road accidents in Kenya.
National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA) on September 26, 2022, indicated that 3,286 Kenyans lost their lives through road accidents.
“The deaths were caused by reckless driving, dangerous overtaking, drunk driving, drunk walking, drunk riding, and failure to use helmets among other issues,” the authority said in a statement.
The National Police Service reintroduced Alcoblow to the country on July 2022 after a 5-year hiatus due to rising cases of drunk driving.
If found, you risk a fine not exceeding Ksh100,000 or a jail term of not more than two years or both according to Traffic (Amendment) Bill 2021.
Source: kENYANS.CO.KE