SIMON MWANGI: Be on the lookout for fake alcohol

Early last year the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse issued a public statement reminding alcohol importers and exporters of the requirement to acquire a licence from the authority.

This followed a resolution by a multi-agency team comprising representatives from the Ministry of Interior and Coordination of National Government, Kenya Revenue Authority, Kenya Bureau of Standards, the Council of Governors and other agencies involved in the regulation of international trade.

In the long run, this move is aimed at ensuring the safety of alcoholic drinks consumed within the Kenyan borders as well as protecting consumers of Kenyan alcoholic beverages internationally. But the main issue is that manufacturers, importers and exporters of alcoholic beverages have a cardinal duty of safeguarding the lives of consumers of their products.

During this electioneering period, as is synonymous with others, it has been observed that cases of consumption of counterfeit and illicit alcohol typically increases. In the most severe cases, loss of life is also witnessed while some people end up blind or with damaged organs.

Just to demonstrate the severity of the proliferation of illicit and counterfeit alcohol in the Kenyan market, KRA on one Saturday in May this year netted illicit liquor worth Sh1.4 million during an anti-illicit trade operation. In early September, the Interior ministry declared a nationwide Rapid Results Initiative against illicit and counterfeit alcohol in the market, spearheaded by Nacada.

In the ongoing operation, which is being conducted across the country and which brings together multi-agency teams, counterfeit alcoholic beverages have been confiscated. Similarly, hundreds of thousands of litres of illicit brews have been netted and culprits charged.

Illegal traders usually take advantage of fast-moving products and counterfeit them, hence, causing unfair competition to those doing legitimate business, and depriving the country of revenue.

Negative connotations to do with alcohol often lie within the confines of quality and the amounts consumed. Irresponsible drinking is a recipe for social disorder and a health risk. Checks and balances are therefore necessary.

It is with this in mind that the sector has to vigorously advocate against illicit and counterfeit drinks. The sector should also work closely with regulators to ensure that unscrupulous dealers within its file and ranks are uprooted and dealt with in line with the law.

Illicit liquor means health concerns for the consumers, loss of excise duty and ballooning health expenses. For industry players, it means loss of business, revenue and jobs. Some of the drinks are smuggled in. Some are counterfeits and others parallel imports, infringing on distributors’ rights. Others use fake stamps to get original alcohol into the market.

Illicit trade has very serious implications that affect all the concerned players’ rights, from the manufactures conducting their business within the confines of the law to the unsuspecting consumers who might end up consuming potentially hazardous products. Illicit trade also denies the government its due revenue.