Give Only One Bar & Restaurant Licence- Gachagua To Governors

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has ordered governors to issue only one bar and restaurant licence in the Mt Kenya region.

During the launch of a bursary programme in Murang’a on Thursday, January 26, the second-in-command directed governors to issue a single bar and restaurant licence per town, amidst his initial promise to do that so that the bars can operate on a 24-hour basis.

"We should give only one bar and restaurant licence to towns. Those others we close down, they open at 5 pm until 11 pm," he announced.

At the same time, he 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.

County governments will also review the procedures and regulations for licensing bars and pubs at the county level.

DP Gachagua on Wednesday, January 18 complained about the rampant licensing of bars and restaurants in the devolved counties so that they run for 24 hours.

He noted that this exposed the youth to alcohol abuse since they made access to liquor every day much easier.

"You governors you have failed us. You have licensed each and every bar to be a bar and restaurant and you're doing so to look for revenue, in the process, we lose an entire generation. 

"We want to appeal to governors to sit down and agree that they cannot license each and every outlet to be a bar and restaurant to sell 24 hours, it is wrong and it is unacceptable," he directed.

Backing up his sentiments, President William Ruto called for the national government administrators to work with county governments to protect the Kenyan children from those seeking to make money off them through the sale of illicit brew.

"You have heard what Riggy G has said regarding our children. They are being ruined by illicit alcohol and we have said the provisional administration must work with our county governments to make sure that we do not sacrifice our children and our society at the altar of money and at the altar of things that are taking our society backwards," he said.

The licensing of bars began in November 2022 when Nairobi Governor, Johnson Sakaja stripped licenses issued to nightclubs operating in residential areas as well as stopped renewals of the same.

The first-time governor added that bars and restaurants in residential areas must operate within the specified time and control noise emanating from the premises. Specifically, the playing of music must stop by 10 pm.