The government staged a total of 101,661 raids on illicit brews across the country that led to the closure of 16,808 non-compliant outlets and 429 shisha joints.
Another 531,954 litres of changaa, 11,486 litres of ethanol, and 86,327 litres of counterfeit alcohol were also recovered in the daily crackdowns during this period between March and December 2024.
Internal Security Principal Secretary Dr Raymond Omollo said government agencies had been involved in combating substance abuse near schools, and intends to tighten regulations and enforcement especially with the possibility of new establishment.
This includes collaborating with County Governments in licensing to ensure that no new establishment will be made near schools.
Omollo said the government will continue with monitoring and surveillance and also engage communities by empowering them through public education to collaborate with law enforcement officers in combating such establishments.
He said one of the challenges has been identified as proximity of the bars to learning institutions and residential areas, adding that some 2000 bars and alcohol outlets will soon be shut.
He regretted that there has been disjointed licensing regimes between the counties and the national government but this is being harmonized with the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (Nacada) taking the lead.
To curb substance abuse of the youth particularly at the retail level, there will be continuous monitoring and surveillance to curb underage drinking and drug peddling; public education to youths and parents on the dangers of substance abuse; and community engagements to report on drug-related issues.
“There has also been prosecution of retailers selling alcohol and substances to the youth, and the youth will also be engaged through the media including social media,” he said.
He added the Social Health Authority (SHA) is also anticipated to improve the public’s access to treatment and rehabilitation centres. Already, accreditation of rehabilitation facilities by SHA and Nacada is ongoing.
A number of initiatives have also been launched to encourage reporting and preventive action including continued mainstreaming of alcohol and substance use in the public sector.
As a result, the Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) are encouraged to submit their reports to Nacada.
There are also workplace prevention initiatives, and community based prevention initiatives including positive parenting, sporting activities, community based rehabilitation.
Others are school based prevention, done in primary and secondary schools, and outreach to youths out of school through sporting.
But some joints with powerful connections remain in operation in places like Lavington, Nairobi amid complaints of noise and substance abuse.
“We are working closely with faith-based institutions to ensure that faith-based opinion leaders and youth spearhead advocacy activities and healthy lifestyles among congregants,” the PS said.
The government has also formed a multi-agency collaborative frameworks, the National Alcohol Control Committee, chaired by Omollo.
“There has also been regular surveillance and monitoring by multi-agency teams, multi-agency crackdowns and multi-agency reporting through the National Drug Observatory and the Bi-Annual Report submitted by Nacada.”
The government has also warned that the consumption of heroin and cocaine is on the rise in the country and Ethiopia through Moyale has emerged as the new route for their trafficking to Nairobi, replacing the Coast route.
“We are trying to figure out how best to deal with it. Our Anti-Narcotics Unit (ANU) is doing their best to deal with it,” Omollo said.
The National Crime Research Centre (NCRC) in their latest report said the continued ban on traditional brews, and the enforcement approaches that focus on punishment has led to underground production and consumption of illicit alcohol in the country.
The study revealed that the challenge of illicit alcohol requires a nuanced understanding of the historical contexts, complexities, the policy and legal frameworks, the prescriptions and responses and the available opportunities for different actors in the alcohol sector.
The NCRC also warned that penal and enforcement approaches tend to focus on punishment, but often fail to address the underlying causes and complexities of the problem.
“An economic incentive for illicit production was created as traditional brews remained popular due to their affordability and cultural relevance.
It further stated that the growing demand ensures that despite the risks, production continues, often in unsafe and unregulated conditions”.
“This legacy is replete with the present-day commercialised informal alcohol sector, with profound challenges of adulterated traditional brews and illicit second generation alcohol with greater risks for public health and safety,” NCRC said.
According to the report, sustainable solutions must address the underlying root causes of illicit alcohol, such as poverty, cultural factors, and limited access to legal alcohol for certain segments of the population, among others.
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