Children as young as 10 are selling alcohol in residential houses turned drinking joints at Ngano Township in Ol Joro Orok, Nyandarua county.
They are also sent to hawk alcohol in the township and environs and also get stock from suppliers at Nyahururu.
At Ngano, alcohol is sold from as early as 6am and goes way past midnight despite the curfew imposed by the government in an effort to beat the Covid-19 pandemic.
Concerned residents on Friday evening told the Star that this is happening under the watch of some rogue law enforcement officers. Some police officers are said to be protecting the traders and frustrating the local administrators who attempt to deal with the vice.
“If the chief arrests them and confiscates their stock, they are released and given back their alcohol to continue operating. The chief is left with nothing to do as he has no gun, no police officers attached to him and no cell to lock up the culprits,” a resident said.
During investigations on Friday afternoon, the Star and two contacts managed to enter two houses posing as clients and managed to buy Kenya Cane, popularly referred to as KC. Using a hidden camera, this reporter captured a girl aged about 10 - and whom the residents said is in Standard 4 - serving alcohol and cooking while her mother received money and washed dishes.
KC and Triple Ace vodka are the main brands being sold with KC going for Sh300 and Triple Ace retailing at Sh250.
The woman and her daughter live in a spacious single room partitioned with a curtain. The drinks are stocked in cartons under the bed. Upon prodding, the woman told this writer that in case her sitting area is filled with customers they can also sit on the bed.
“There is space enough to sit and drink comfortably,” she said
When woman goes out to hawk or is out of town to get stock, the child is left alone, serving customers who keep coming and going, and those who opt to sit and drink at her premise.
In a neighbouring double room, another woman has turned the first room into bedroom, sitting and drinking area.
The inner room has a well-kept bed and serves as a guest room for customers. There is a high-quality wall unit where alcohol is kept.
The buildings are located just 200 metres from Ngano police station.
Anyone approaching the residential plots where alcohol is sold will notice children playing near the gate. But they are on the lookout for both the customers and “potential enemies”. The children follow those going through the gate and enquire which brand they want.
Weru MCA Mbogo Mburu, who told the Star this problem is also prevalent in his ward, said these children know the subcounty police boss, the MP, local MCAs, chief and local village elders. They warn their parents the moment the spot them in their vicinity.
Anyone visiting Ngano in an ordinary afternoon notices a group of men and women lying or sitting on grass or bushes along Kaari-Kwa Ngara-Boiman road. These are alcohol traders. A short distance further is a group of young men chewing Muguka and discretely sipping alcohol. Bhang is also traded here. Occasionally, an alcohol seller is noticed sitting among them with a bag concealed behind them, less than 100 metres from the police station.
Charagita MCA Wairimu Jane said this is strange and blamed the local administration and police.
Nyandarua West subcounty police commander Wanyama Nyongesa on Saturday told the Star that the matter will be investigated and the culprits brought to book.
On Sunday morning, Wanyama said Ngano OCS and the chief went door to door and arrested two women, but that no alcohol was found in their houses.
The police boss said the chief has two cartons of alcohol which was confiscated a few days ago.
Edited by R.Wamochie
