Nacada CEO Victor Okioma has expressed concern over the failure of bars to observe the required operating hours.
Okioma while speaking on Citizen TV on Wednesday said despite the national law stipulating that bars should operate from 5 pm to 11 pm during weekdays, there are establishments that begin operations as early as 8 am.
“We have had cases where bars are opening at 8 am and you ask yourself, 8 am somebody is already walking into the bar instead of going to work,” Okioma said.
Okioma said the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse collaboration with the counties has seen changes but said this is an issue that requires intervention to limit access to alcohol abuse.
“We have in the law stated that bars should open only at 5 pm during working days and close at 11 pm but we have seen bars opening as early as 8 am and will close when the last person leaves those are issues of aces that need to be addressed,” he said.
The issues of bars has become a thorny matter with Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja being on the receiving end in recent weeks after he ordered the closure of bars near residential areas.
Just last week, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua ordered administrators in the Mt Kenya region to reduce the number of alcohol-selling outlets.
The Deputy President has expressed concerns over the rising levels of alcoholism in the region that he has said has destroyed men of productive age.
He said though county governments are looking for ways to boost their revenue, licensing too many bars has aggravated the situation as it has made alcoholic drinks too accessible.
He has since retracted on his statement.
