Counties in Central to harmonise laws against illicit brews

Five counties in Central region have agreed to harmonise their laws to deal with the sale and consumption of illicit brews and narcotics.

During a meeting with Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua in Naivasha at the weekend, leaders from Nyeri, Nyandarua, Kirinyaga, Muranga and Kiambu agreed to formulate similar laws to step up the fight against the vices.

The two-day meeting brought together senators and members of the national and county assemblies from the five counties, all of whom pledged to have the proposals ready by today.

Mr Gachagua announced that the fight against the menace would start from Central and later shift to Rift Valley, Eastern and Nairobi regions.

Also Read: Police use drones to map, raid chang’aa dens

Harsh punishment

The DP singled out “weak laws and low fines” as some of the major challenges facing the fight against illicit brews and drugs.

Mr Gachagua called for harsh punishment for perpetrators of the vices to act as a deterrent.

“The government will put in place strict laws to regulate the manufacture, distribution and sale of liquor. For some reasons, Central region has the highest number of drug and substance abuse,”he said.

Key among the proposed measures, include the formation of liquor licensing boards and the forfeiture to county governments of motor vehicles caught ferrying illegal alcohol.

The liquor licensing boards, the DP proposed, should include county commissioners, Directorate of Criminal Investigations officers, National Campaign Against Drug and Authority officials, public health officers, religious leaders, among “other men and women of integrity”.