Piece by: KNA

28 January 2023

• Five bars in Murang’a South and two in Murang’a East were barred from operating after they were found selling assorted counterfeit liquor brands.

• Kahuro sub-county has 85 bars which is the least compared to other sub-counties.

Operations in seven bars in Murang’a county have been stopped for selling counterfeit alcoholic drinks.

County police commander Ali Nuno said during the raids they conducted since last month, five bars in Murang’a South and two in Murang’a East were barred from operating after they were found selling assorted counterfeit liquor brands.

Nuno, speaking after a raid in some bars in Murang’a South on Wednesday, said the confiscated alcohol was found with fake excise stamps.

He claimed some of counterfeit and illicit brews being sold in Murang’a are from neighbouring counties and unscrupulous traders transport the liquor at night.

The commander further decried the increased number of bars in the county, saying currently in Murang’a has 2,291 bars.

“It’s becoming a challenge to monitor the high number of bars in Murang’a. The county liquor licensing board should think of reducing these liquor outlets,” Nuno said.

Murang’a South sub-county, Nuno said, leads with 487 bars followed by Murang’a East with 354 bars.

“Kahuro sub-county has 85 bars which is the least compared to other sub-counties. This poses a challenge to security officers to adequately monitor the type of alcoholic brands stocked in the outlets,” he said.

Murang’a residents, he added, need to be careful about the alcohol they get from bars saying some are of low standards and may pose health risks.

“The multi-agency team is committed to cracking down on illicit brews and we ask Murang’a people to be careful about the liquor they find stocked in some of these outlets,” Nuno said.

The commander expressed concern over the high number of new applicants for liquor licensing.

“Those who have currently applied for liquor licensing are more than 4, 500. People applying for single business permits for other ventures other than bars are less than 1, 000.

“There is a need to control alcoholism in this county and people be encouraged to do other businesses other than selling alcohol,” Nuno said.

The police commander urged the leadership of Murang’a county to come out and aid in the fight against illicit and counterfeit brews, saying police cannot adequately tackle the problem alone.

“This fight we cannot successfully do it alone as the police. It requires all of us to come, encourage the residents to volunteer information and save them from toxic alcoholic drinks,” he said.