- MPs argue minors are exposed to alcohol content being advertised during family times.
- They want adverts to come after midnight when children are asleep.
Image: COURTESY
MPs have backed a bill seeking to restrict the timing of alcoholic advertisements in a bold bid to reduce exposure to underage children.
The Alcoholic Drinks Control (Amendments) Bill, 2019, by South Mugirango MP Silvanus Osoro gives the CS powers to specify hours within which electronic advertisement of alcoholic drinks should run.
The bill, which is in its second reading, seeks to amend the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act, No.4 of 2010.
“This is in order to reduce the exposure to children and other vulnerable persons in the community such as recovering alcoholics of unsuitable content on alcohol consumption,” it says.
According to the lawmaker, having adverts run during family times exposes children to alcohol.
He also took issue with the framing of the adverts, which he noted gives a false impression that it is normal to take alcohol.
“Some adverts are linked to sex and display kissing in public. Many of them link the adverts to sports and driving and they make it appear that it is wrong and foolish not to drink alcohol,” Osoro said.
“Let us not allow drinking and drugs the norm in our society."
Contributing to the debate, Nandi county MP Tecla Chebet blamed the glorification of alcohol and drugs in the media for the rampant family breakups.
She said most young men hooked to alcohol and drugs starve their partners who then opt to walk out of marriage.
“We have sold our country to alcohol and there is this false notion that alcohol drinking goes together with sexual prowess, this is misleading. They take alcohol, come home drunk and cannot function,” she said.
“Women are crying that we have two women sleeping together. There has been a lot of riots by women who complain their men are not functioning."
She demanded that alcoholic drink advertisements run after midnight when schoolchildren are asleep.
Nominated MP David Sankok questioned the logic of advertising alcohol at prime times when children are watching while the law is clear that alcohol should not be sold to minors.
“We acknowledge that alcohol manufacturing companies have employed a number of our youths but don’t destroy them at the same time.
"Adverts should come either when they are deep asleep or when they are in school,” Sankok said.
Runyenjes MP Eric Muchangi said the way alcohol is advertised lures many young children.
He urged the government to be concerned about the welfare of the young generation.
“There is power in advertisement, it is working negatively to our young people,” he said.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)