Declare your stand on war against alcohol, Rigathi Gachagua tells President Ruto
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua received by Ndaragua MP George Gachagua at Ndogino AIPCA Church for a church service attended by President William Ruto on July 14, 2024.
There was a tense moment at Ndogino AIPCA Church in Nyandarua County on Sunday, July 14 when Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua challenged his boss President William Ruto to declare his stand on the fight against alcohol and drugs.
Without mincing words, Mr Gachagua said the gains made in the fight against alcoholism had been reversed and accused senior government officials of sabotage and working against the government's directive.
He said the mischievous government officials did not want the government to succeed in the fight against alcohol.
The deputy president claimed that the senior government officials last month issued licences to manufacturers of poisonous alcoholic drinks and authorised the bars to operate against a government directive and position.
"And I want to say today that it's immoral, it's unacceptable that people can sit in government and decide to bring back poison to kill our children. We cannot accept that without my knowledge and that of the President. The other day I convened a meeting and demanded an explanation as to why the licences allowing the distribution and sale of the killer alcohol were being issued indiscriminately. Mr President, I beg you, my friend, do not let this poison be brought back to these people to kill our children when you are the President of the Republic of Kenya," said Mr Gachagua amid the applause of the congregation.
He added: "Mr President, we don't want these people to antagonise you with these Kenyans. This is a programme that the people of Kenya are happy with and with your government. Let the programme continue, pronounce yourself, Your Excellency, because you are not part of this decision," the visibly angry deputy president continued.
It was one of the first issues the President addressed when his deputy invited him to the podium, saying he agreed with his deputy.
"I want to agree with the deputy president that the business of harmful alcoholic drinks and drugs will not continue in our country. I have deliberately made some changes in the National Police Service to ensure that no other police officer allows this trade to continue. We have seen the damage that the sale of these drugs has caused to our youth in order to enrich a few people.
This illegal business of selling poison and drugs must stop and I am instructing the provincial administration from the chiefs, assistant county commissioners, deputy county commissioners, county commissioners to regional commissioners to be on alert," said the President.
He also blamed the county governments for the haphazard licensing of bars, saying it's unacceptable for a small rural market to have more bars than other businesses.
"The county governments need to ensure that there is a law to guide the licensing of bars, they need to enforce the laws. It is not possible to have bars operating from morning until after midnight. Even those in formal employment work from 8am to 5pm, is alcoholism better than a job you are supposed to be doing? We have agreed that this issue needs to be addressed conclusively," said President Ruto.
