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A section of alcohol-lovers from Busia now say they will cross the border to Uganda to enjoy their favourite alcoholic drinks on Census Day.
The residents, who spoke to K24 Digital, say Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i’s order to close all bars by 5pm on August 24 and August 25 won’t affect them.
“We, alcohol-lovers from Busia, are not affected in any way by Matiang’i’s directive to shut Kenyan bars by 5pm on August 24 and 25. We are neighbouring Uganda and on those two days, we will cross the border and enjoy our drinks from Ugandan bars. We are not stressed. The only people who will bear the brunt of that order are the Kenyans living far away from the Kenya-Uganda border,” said one of the Busia residents.
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“Matiang’i should know that we will cross the border. We’ll enter Uganda, enjoy our drinks and return to Kenya when we want,” said another.
“We’ll enter Uganda, do what we want and return to Kenya when we want, including 10pm or 11pm,” said yet another Busia resident.
“We have never bought alcohol from Kenyan bars, they are very expensive. In Uganda, a bottle of 500ml beer goes for Ksh100. On those dates which he [Matiang’i] has prohibited the sale of alcohol past 5pm, we’ll enter Uganda,” said another Busia resident.
“Those Census people won’t find us in the houses, we will be in Uganda. So, they will only count our women and children,” said another one.
The Busia residents’ comments come just a few hours after Dr Matiang’i said the directive that bars and other drinking joints be shut by 5pm on 24th and 25th August does not mean he has stopped Kenyans from enjoying their alcoholic drinks.
Speaking at Harambee House in Nairobi on Thursday, August 22, Dr Matiang’i said those who wish to imbibe, should stock their favourite drinks at home by 5pm Saturday and Sunday.
“Some people have made the directive [barring the opening of bars past 5pm on August 24 and 25] look like the world is coming to an end. You can still enjoy your alcoholic drink while at home. Alternatively, you can drink at a local joint and when it clocks 5pm, you can go home to be counted,” said the CS.
“[Some suggesting I would have stopped them from watching] the Liverpool versus Arsenal match, you can still do that at home,” he said.
The minister said Kenyans have “to sacrifice for their country”, given the national population census takes place once in every ten years.
The exercise begins on August 24 at 6pm and ends on the night of August 31.
