The Uasin Gishu Alcoholic Drinks Control Board has started a crackdown on bars, which have been flagged for flouting regulations, including admission of minors.
Director of the board Koiya Arap Maiyo says the move is aimed at enforcing the regulations and ensuring that the operators comply with all requirements.
Teams of enforcement officers from the board have been deployed to inspect all bars and drinking joints to ensure they comply with regulations.
“We have noted that some of the operators are defying the regulations we have in place and, as a board, that is not acceptable, hence the decision to carry out the enhanced crackdown,” Maiyo said.
He said some of the operators were admitting underage people and also selling illicit drugs and other banned substances.
Since schools and colleges closed, Maiyo said many youth and children were loitering in urban areas, where some of them were exposed to the bars and drinking joints which are against the law.
“We have already shut down some the bars and given warning to all others to comply with the regulations or have their licenses withdrawn,” he said.
Maiyo said the crackdown would be intensified during the December festivities to ensure that all children and youth are protected.
“We urge parents to be keen on the whereabouts of their children during the ongoing holidays season so that we all work as a community to protect them from exploitative behaviour and habits.”
He said they have also intensified the crackdown on illicit alcohol in all parts of the county although tangible success had been achieved in wiping out the illicit brews.
Last month, he said more than 85 people had been charged with the manufacture and sale of the illicit brews.
Maiyo said many brewers of illicit alcohol had also been rehabilitated and completely reformed to engage in gainful income-generating activities.
He added that his office has deployed counsellors and other staff to go round the county and sensitise communities, especially youth on the dangers of abusing drugs or illicit alcohol.
The official insisted that the county would not allow bars and drinking joints to operate near schools and colleges in Eldoret town and other parts of the region.
“As a county under the leadership of Governor [Jonathan] Bii, we will not allow exposure of children and our youth to illicit alcohol and drugs which have ruined many lives," Maiyo said.
“We have also stepped up the capacity of our enforcement teams so that they inspect all areas in urban and rural areas and ensure that there is no illicit alcohol on sale."
The same crackdown is also going on in slums, where there had been high consumption of illicit brews.
Maiyio said that the operators of bars must ensure that they only operate within regulated hours.
“Those who open the drinking joints early in the morning or very late in the night must know that we have now deployed teams to enforce the law,” he said.
