'Licensing brewers helped stem abuse' Kakamega Commissioner says

Deputy Kakamega County Commissioner Mongo Chimwanga has said the licensing of busaa and vigilance by sub-chiefs have helped stem the sale of illicit brews.

Three years ago, the assembly passed the Alcoholic Drinks Bill 2013, which set up an sub-county Alcoholic Drinks Regulation Committee, which monitors, licenses and controls sale of alcohol in the biggest rural county.

In a measure to cut down the trade in unlicensed brewers, Mr Chimwanga said his office profiled all brewers in Lurambi constituency and illicit alcohol dens in the county and handed the list to the county government.

"We licensed a number of busaa selling joints that met the health threshold but they have to operate from 5pm to 8pm.

The challenge is with making sellers adhere to opening and closing hours as stipulated in law," said Chimwanga.

He however, pointed out that Shinyalu and Ikolomani constituencies still lead in cases of people either manufacturing or consuming the illicit brews.

"Last week, we confiscated six brands of illicit brews we suspected were brought into the country from neighbouring Uganda.

We have been working with sub-chiefs who ideally know who is brewing what and where," said Chimwaga.