Kisii County Commissioner Joseph Kibet has appealed to the county government officers to only issue licenses to liquor outlets that conform to the provisions of the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act.
Speaking during the Madaraka Day Celebrations in Etago Sub County, Mr. Kibet decried the high number of bars that were being operated without the required licenses, especially within residential areas and around educational institutions.
‘I am urging the county to refrain from looking at the aspect of revenue collection and instead, review and implement the regulations of setting up a liquor business during the licensing process,’ he said.
The CC noted they had intensified the war on illicit brew and drug abuse adding that since they began the initiative, they had conducted 989 raids in the county and closed down 31 outlets over illegal operations.
Further, the security agencies had destroyed 72,393 litres of chang’aa, 149,343 litres of Kangara, 1,092,970 litres of Busaa, 17 bags of fake tobacco, 544 kilograms of
bhang and arrested 204 persons.
Kibet called for collaboration between the county and national governments to ensure they address the security and development needs of the citizens in order to improve their livelihoods.
He encouraged the public to take advantage of the community policing structures to link the security agencies and the community in order to ensure a safe and secure environment for all.
In addition, the County Commissioner told the residents to conduct public arrests for perpetrators of crime and hand them over to the police for re-arresting so that the law can take its cause.
Kisii Governor Simba Arati also lamented the increasing number of youths indulging in drugs and substance abuse.
In a speech read on his behalf by the County Public Service Board Chairman Elijah Obebo, Arati said that drug peddlers had become rampant at the Kisii bus park and in all urban areas, preying on youth with marijuana, heroin and all other dope.
‘If this situation is not checked in time, we are ultimately
losing a critical component of the productive population,’ he noted.
The Governor said the county is working to have the Kiamwasi rehabilitation centre operational and appealed to the national government security team to urgently rein in the vice.
‘This will help to free our youth from the bondage of drug abuse and usher them to a state of discipline and self-reliance through the various government empowerment programmes as envisioned in the spirit of Madaraka,’ he added.
Other guests who attended the 61st Madaraka Day celebrations in Kisii included the Departmental Heads from county and national governments, representatives from the Judiciary, members of Kisii County Assembly and the clergy.
Source: Kenya News Agency