Security officers have destroyed 1,300 litres of illicit brew in Gatanga constituency, Murang’a county.
Central regional coordinator Wilson Njenga on Tuesday led security officers in destroying 500 litres of chang’aa and 800 litres of Kang’ara at Mabanda shopping centre.
Fifty cartons of counterfeit Mara vodka, 10kg of bhang and 50kg of yeast were also destroyed.
Njenga said the administration is increasing efforts to completely eradicate illicit brew being produced on the Chania river.
He said production of illicit brews along the river has declined from 600 litres per day to 200 following the crackdown.
Njenga urged the police to support administrators’ efforts to eliminate illicit brew. He said any administrator who fails to control the production and consumption of the brews in their areas will face prosecution.
don’t give up
Njenga also urged administrators not to be discouraged by small fines issued by courts against brewers, adding continuous raids will discourage traders.
“Keep arresting them even if they are released,” he said.
Njenga urged security officers to trace the source of both counterfeit and illicit liquor. “It is not enough to confiscate and destroy them. We need to find out where they are being produced so we can deal with the problem from the source,” he said.
army officer with bhang
County commissioner John Elungata urged residents to help the police trace two illicit liqour brewers who operate in Gatunyu area and distribute the drinks to the entire region.
He said the brews menace will ‘be over’ when the two - who go by aliases Martin and Wariah - are arrested.
The commissioner said an army officer is being detained after being found with 12 rolls of bhang at Mabanda shopping centre.
Area MP Joseph Nduati praised the security team for its efforts and appealed to residents to forward information on bhang peddlers illicit liquor brewers.
He said he will help alcoholic youths who go to rehabilitation centres find jobs and go to school.
“This is a fight that will only be won if we all work together,” Nduati said.
“I will support any efforts towards ensuring my constituency is free of illicit brews and drugs to help my people prosper.”