Compensate genuine alcohol traders, ODM tells State

ODM's Chairman John Mbadi

NAIROBI: Some Orange Democratic Movement (ODM) leaders have kept up the momentum on the government to compensate genuine business owners whose premises were vandalized in crackdown of illicit brew.

The leaders said that President Uhuru Kenyatta's anger on killer brews should be used as a panacea to lawlessness and hooliganism which has now seen property worth millions of shillings go down the drain.

The opposition instead wants the Jubilee government to audit all the vandalized businesses and adequately compensate those who are genuine and complied with the regulation on alcoholic drinks and beverages.

However, the MPs are of the opinion that the rise of 'killer brew' dens has been occasioned by blatant corruption by those charged with the responsibilities of ensuring standards are upheld and only those who have complied with the law get licenses.

ODM's Chairman John Mbadi in particular took a swipe at the Jubilee administration in the manner in which the raids to destroy the illicit brew dens have been conducted.

"The way this war on illicit brew has taken is a clear manifestation of a confused system of this government. We all support war on illicit brew but using jobless youths to destroy people's genuine businesses is not acceptable," said Mbadi.

Mbadi said the leaders who led the raids should also apologize publicly to the destruction of property to building owners, genuine businesses and help in pushing for the compensation.

Mbadi who is also the Suba MP challenged National Campaign against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBs) and the Provincial Administration to show their inaction against the vice that has claimed lives and left others with permanent disabilities.

ODM's Political Affairs Secretary Opiyo Wandayi said that the crackdown on illicit brews in Central Kenya and Nairobi areas has been done in a reckless manner with entrepreneurs losing the lifetime savings to the state sanctioned barbarism.

"This is a testimony to a government that has its priorities upside down. It talks of growing the economy, yet rendering workers jobless through reckless sanctions," said Wandayi.

He said that the government's approach on tackling alcoholism is akin to addressing the symptoms rather than the root cause of the problem.

Wandayi (Ugunja) claimed that the illicit alcohol industry has thrived due to impunity and corruption that have enabled the licensing of dubious dealers who enjoy official protection.

"We empathize with all the genuine people who have lost their savings in this ill-fated crackdown and urge Jubilee administration to focus more on employment creation that would cushion the youth from indulging in alcoholism and other vices. This is the more sustainable root," said Wandayi.

Opondo Kaluma (Homa Bay Town) said that the Jubilee administration has never had a direction in leadership, adding that the decree by President Uhuru Kenyatta allowed politicians and criminals to violate property rights of investors duly licensed to trade while acting as law enforcers.

"Acts such as this makes the business environment uncertain, undermine investment and job creation," said Kaluma.

He said that the government requires quick lessons on the need to always operate within the confines of law and that all licensed traders and investors should sue the government for the losses incurred as a result of the implementation of unlawful decree.