Nyeri residents opt to have fewer bars in a bid to fight alcoholism in the county
Chiefs join police officers during a crackdown on illicit liquor in Nyeri Town in July 2015. Now residents of the county have resolved to have 45 per cent fewer bars as they strive to fight alcoholism. PHOTO | JOSEPH KANYI | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- This comes as part of the continued efforts by the county to rid the region of the vice of alcoholism, a fight the director said is nearly won.
- The exercise was overseen by the committee to ensure fairness for both the residents and bar owners.
- Tetu Sub-County recorded the least number with 41 bars getting approval and 53 were shut completely out of 185 applications.
- Mukurwe-ini residents have said that they want the supply of Liberty, Vienna Ice, Jebel and Chrome brands completely banned in the region.
Nyeri County will have 45 per cent fewer bars after residents were involved in public forums to determine the number of beer outlets per locality.
Speaking to Nation.co.ke, the county director of alcoholic drinks control and management, Daniel Ondabu said that residents had been given the chance to decide on the number of alcohol joints that should be there within their respective areas.
This comes as part of the continued efforts by the county to rid the region of the vice of alcoholism, a fight the director said is nearly won.
“Residents came out and said that they would like to be involved in the process, especially in those areas that were overwhelmed by bars,” said Mr Ondabu.
With the help of a multi-agency task force committee working at both the county and sub-county levels, residents were invited for public participation forums in the county.
According to the director, the exercise was overseen by the committee to ensure fairness for both the residents and bar owners.
ENSURE FAIRNESS
“The matter had to be assessed from all angles so as to ensure there was a fair balance,” said Mr Ondabu.
The exercise ended with a total of 900 bars being approved in the entire county, with 706 pending approval and 415 bars closed completely.
Total closure was done because most of them failed to meet the health and security standards.
“Those that had been in the spotlight over serious security matters like a person being seriously injured or killed were also closed completely,” he added.
Tetu Sub-County recorded the least number with 41 bars getting approval and 53 were shut completely out of 185 applications.
Nyeri Town will have the highest number of alcohol outlets with a total of 115 liquor joints, about 13 per cent of the total county tally.
ALCOHOL-FREE ZONES
Despite the outcry by some residents who wanted alcohol-free zones, the committee said that they will license at least two bars in the concerned areas to cater for those who would want to enjoy a drink within their localities.
“We want to cater for those who drink responsibly so that they do not have to travel long distances to drink,” said Mr Ondabu.
However, those joints will only be limited to being bars only and will not include restaurants.
They will not be opened earlier than 5pm and will closed not later than 11pm.
Muruguru is one of the areas that will have only two bars.
Some areas have called for a complete ban of some brands of liquor.
Mukurwe-ini residents have said that they want the supply of Liberty, Vienna Ice, Jebel and Chrome brands completely banned in the region.
Nyeri County had more than 2,021 alcohol joints before the exercise commenced about one month ago.
