Governor Susan Kihika today opened the lid on the stinking illicit brew menace that continues to puzzle local authorities across the County.

Speaking in a conference focusing on ending Alcoholism and Drug Abuse in the Rift Valley, at the Nakuru ASK showground, Kihika confirmed that there have been deaths arising from consumption of illicit brew.

She shared an instant of a family in Molo who lost their 30-year-old son after a night of merrymaking in one of the local drinking joints.

“Sometime in September last year, a 30-yearold resident of Elburgon in Molo Sub County who was serving as an Assistant County Commissioner in Vihiga County, took a short leave to visit his family. With some free time on his hands, he went on a nightlong drinking spree with his friends in Molo. Sadly, he died the following day, ending the life of a promising administrator and left behind a young widow and children orphaned at a tender age,” noted Ms Kihika in her speech.

Some of the sub counties that were mentioned as being notorious in illicit brew trade include Molo, Kuresoi South and Kuresoi North Sub Counties, Njoro, Bahati and Gilgil.

Interestingly the county boss revealed that some of the traders carried out their illegal business in toilets and cemeteries, all in a bid to hide from the security personnel.

“Merchants of this business in Molo, Njoro, Bahati, Kuresoi South, Kuresoi North, Gilgil and parts of Nakuru City have become so enterprising that they conduct their business in toilets and even cemeteries to escape the preying eyes of security officers and administrators,” she said.

Emphasizing her ability to stump out this menace, Ms Kihika said the county administration would lead a crackdown in the city, areas of Kaptembwo, Kivumbini, Kwa Rhonda, Kanyon, London, Murogi and other densely populated slums which have become stomping grounds for peddlers of drugs and merchants of illicit brews.

She further stated that stringent measures had already been put in place to gear up the fight against illicit brew.

According to Ms Kihika, her administration rejected 445 out of 3,654 license applications in the last five months.

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Molo, Njoro sub counties lead in illicit brew trade

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