The new vetting process for liquor outlets has kicked off across all 20 wards in Kirinyaga County following a temporary suspension of operations after the deaths of tens of revellers.
In a public notice by the Department of Sports, Culture and Social Services dated February 19, 2024, County Executive Committee(CEC) Dennis Muciimi noted that liquor business owners are required to produce licenses for 2023 and approved applications for 2024.
"The exercise kicked off with a physical inspection of bars by a multi-agency team drawn from the National and County governments in all 20 wards. During the vetting process, owners of liquor outlets are required to produce licenses for 2023 and approved applications for 2024," part of the statement read.
He affirmed that outlets with previous cases of non-compliance with liquor licensing regulations are banned from the process.
Further, Muciimi said that bar owners who fail to show up for the exercise will be deemed to have exited the business.
On Saturday, February 17, 2024, Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru ordered that all bars in the county be closed with immediate effect to weed out the illicit liquor business.
Waiguru was speaking during the mass funeral of 17 people who died after consuming illicit brew.
"We have reached our end. I want you to allow me and give me protection. Today I want to announce that all bars in the county have been closed, and a new process of verifying the licenses has begun. The county government has withdrawn all the licenses with immediate effect," the governor stated.
At the same time, Anne Waiguru asked 11 of her staff members working in the county to either ditch their bar businesses or continue working in her office.
"This is the directive from me, utachagua iyo bar ama kufanya kazi kwa county ya Kirinyaga," Waiguru noted saying the staff were being used to frustrate efforts to fight the selling of illicit brew.
