Chiefs, Deputies Issued Ultimatum On Illicit Brews Amid Crackdown

Kisii County commissioner Tom Anjere has directed chiefs and their deputies to hold barazas monthly to help address insecurity in the villages. 

The County Commissioner was speaking on Friday, February 24 at the Farmers' Resource Centre in Kisii during a meeting with provincial administrators.

Anjere put the chiefs on notice to either end illicit liquor in their areas of jurisdiction or face the sack.

The government, added the County Commissioner, would not allow the proliferation of liquor in the communities adding that already, most idle youths had got into alcohol abuse, with significant others into bhang.

Kisii County Commissioner Tom Anjere addressing the media at Farmers' Resource Centre on February 24, 2023. /VIRALTEAKE.ELIZABETH ANGIRA

Anjere further noted that security officers in the past month have destroyed 2,500 litres of illicit brew.

"We are not relenting, we will ensure that Kisii County is free from the illicit brew," he stated.

The county commissioner added that during the crackdown, they destroyed the brews by pouring them down and confiscated the containers used for brewing them.

Anjere directed security officers to increase vigilance and arrest any suspects to stem indecency. 

He further called upon members of the public to tip off the security officers on those individuals who carry out the illegal illicit brew.

Anjere advised those who conduct such business to shift to other legal business activities to generate income. Separately, he directed the Deputy Commissioners to chair Land Control Boards to help minimize land conflicts.

The move comes after Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua on Thursday, January 26 announced a countrywide crackdown on illicit alcohol, calling upon provincial administrators to work with county governments to address the vice.

He noted that illicit brews were causing so much trouble across the country, thus the prompt response. The new crackdown will see chiefs, sub-chiefs and regional commanders partner to deal with the menace, especially in the rural areas.

"We shall not accept a situation where youths are being killed or become unproductive because of consumption of illicit alcohol.

"The administrators must eradicate alcoholism and drug abuse. The Ruto Administration will not negotiate on this unfortunate matter," Gachagua stated. 

He reminded the administrative officers to carry out their mandate which they were appointed to do and to ignore politics that have derailed them in the previous regime.