Mututho faults State over new alcohol law
FILE | NATION. Naivasha MP John Mututho displays beer bottles with health warning messages in July this year. He accuses government of dragging its feet in the implementation of the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act.
The Government has been accused of dragging its feet in the implementation of the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act.
Naivasha Member of Parliament John Mututho claimed that the State was planning to hold negotiations with manufacturers of the targeted brews before the law becomes effective.
“Holding round table talks with anyone on matters regarding the quality of alcohol manufactured for local consumption is not only unacceptable but also unlawful,” he said.
The MP who was addressing participants of a workshop on drug and alcohol abuse at the Gretsa University in Thika said the sale of illicit brews has claimed 330 lives over three decades and there should be no gambling with the lives of Kenyans.
Mr Mututho said only quality and certified alcoholic products will be allowed for sale after November 27 when the new law comes into effect and action should be taken on those who found contravening the law.
“We cannot watch Kenyans die or go blind as a result of consumption of lethal brews to please a few individuals. Those who do not comply will be made to compensate for lives lost or destroyed,” he added.
“The same way there have never been negotiations with rapists, drug peddlers and murderers there should be no round table meetings with the manufacturers of illicit brews,” he said, adding that all alcoholic products that will not have been certified by the deadline will be regarded illicit.
At the same time, the MP, who moved the Alcohol Bill criticised the National Campaign Against Drug Abuse (NACADA) authority for doing little to fight the menace.
“We have not heard them issue a single statement on the issue and I wonder if we are reading from the same script,” he said.
The MP said there was need to enlighten the public on the dangers of alcohol abuse and said he will be holding public talks about the matter in various parts of the country.
Mututho was speaking during the New Alcohol Law Awareness Day held at Gretsa University.
Juja MP William Kabogo said a percentage of the constituency development fund money will be used to train people who will then conduct drug abuse awareness programmes for the constituents.
