Senators have asked the county government of Nairobi to state the number of liquor stores it has licensed to operate within residential estates in the city.
The lawmakers further want the county to disclose the amount raised through liquor licensing by Nairobi City County Liquor Licensing Board since its creation.
Nairobi Senator Edwin Sifuna, who is seeking a statement from Standing Committee on Labour and Social Services, further wants the county government to state the number of youth programmes that have been created to rehabilitate users of alcohol and drugs.
“State the total amount of funds utilised in the programmes since the inception of the Board, disclosing the percentage it represents on the county's overall budget,” he said.
Nandi senator Samson Cherargei said the Board should inform the House whether liquor stores in residential areas adhere to the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act.
“Nairobi governor Johnson Sakaja has insisted on several occasions that Own Source Revenue has highly grown. Does it include the licenses that have been given, especially to liquor stores in the city?” he posed.
“Where I come from, the county government has given up to 10 liquor licenses in a small centre of less than 2,000 people. The bars are more than the churches,” he added.
Cherargei added that approval of liquor licenses is not a concern for Nairobi only but the entire country.
Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja, on November 25, banned nightclubs from operating in residential areas. It followed a public uproar over noise pollution.
Sakaja cancelled the licenses issued and ordered his officers not to renew the permits for the aforementioned facilities.
Pubs Entertainment and Restaurants Association of Kenya warned of massive layoffs with the cancellation of licences of bars and nightclubs in residential areas.
