Nyanza, Rift Valley tops list of areas with highest alcohol arrests
Sakwa is expected to lead detectives to crime scenes as the investigation continues
Nyanza and Rift Valley top the list of regions where police impounded the highest litres of alcohol in the year to August 31, 2024.
A new report shows that police recovered 195,576 litres of liquor in Nyanza between September 1, 2023 and August 31, 2024.
Nyanza was followed by the Rift Valley region with 56,190 litres and Central Kenya where police netted 12,603 litres of liquor.
The Annual Report on the State of National Security tabled in Parliament by President William Ruto shows that the Rift Valley region recorded the highest increase in the number of people arrested, with a total of 47,893 persons followed by Nairobi Region which recorded an increase of 7,249 persons.
The report shows that a total of 77,821 persons were arrested in connection with the possession and or manufacture of illicit brews between September 1, 2023, and August 31, 2024, compared to 19,242 in a similar period of 2022/23.
“This hence translates into a 304.43 percent increase in the number of persons arrested, owing to the stepped up anti-illicit brew campaigns by the government,” Dr Ruto said.
“There was a 30.69 percent increase in the amount of liquor netted across the nation, with Nyanza Region recording the highest increase in netted liquor with 195,576 litres, followed by Rift Valley Region with 56,190 litres.”
The report shows that Nairobi, Eastern, Coast and North Eastern had the biggest drop in the amount of liquor netted during the period under review.
The report indicates that the amount of liquor netted by police in the Nairobi region dropped from 73,066 litres in 2022/23 to 38,423 litres in 2023/24, a negative change of 34,643 litres.
The Eastern region recorded a drop of 15,889 litres from 52,916 litres to 37,027 litres while the Coast region saw a drop of 3,597 litres from 16,234 litres to 12,636 litres.
The amount of alcohol netted in North Eastern dropped significantly by 533 litres from 542 litres in 2022/23 to nine litres in 2023/24, translating to a 98 percent drop.
Dr Ruto said as part of the stepped-up anti-illicit brews campaigns, the government has taken a number of measures including enhancing a whole-of-society collaboration between communities and law enforcement agencies as well as other concerned Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
He said enhanced advocacy campaigns on the negative impacts of illicit and counterfeit alcohol are being undertaken in addition to strengthened joint collaboration efforts between the national and county governments in order to eradicate illicit and counterfeit alcohol.
The government, he said, has also collaborated with governmental and non-governmental stakeholders to establish and operate rehabilitation centres.
“To ensure that illicit brews and counterfeit alcohol are eradicated, and the citizenry is freed from its negative effects, the government is committed to access to rehabilitation and treatment services of affected persons, lowering the cost of legitimate alcohol production to discourage manufacture of illicit brews, increasing patrols and surveillance to deter smuggling of ethanol across the border, and enhancing multi-agency approach in fighting against illicit brew,” Dr Ruto said in the annual report on the State of Security.
