A million shilling fine, 2 year jail for contravening Kiambu alcohol law.

Kiambu Director of Public Participation and Communication Ken Mwangi addressing participants during a Public Participation forum to discuss the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act, 2017 at the Community Grounds Thika.

Kiambu County Government has tabled a new Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill that if it is passed into law, will see a great shift from the way consumption of alcoholic drinks has been in the previous regime.

During the Thika sub-county public participation forum at the Community Grounds led by the Director of Liquor Micheal Kang'ethe and Director of Public Participation and Communication Ken Mwangi, the residents heard that the new law proposes very strict guidelines in relation to manufacture, sale, distributions and disposal of alcoholic drinks and products.

It was also revealed that no person under the age of twenty one (21) years shall be allowed to enter or gain access to the area in which the alcoholic drink is manufactured, stored, sold or consumed and anyone who contravened this committed an offence liable upon conviction, to a fine not exceeding two hundred and fifty thousand shillings or an imprisonment term not exceeding one year or to both

Likewise, no one shall be allowed to sell, supply or provide an alcoholic drink to a person under the age of twenty one years.

According to the Kiambu County Alcoholic Drinks Control Act, 2017, people found guilty of contravenes the provisions of act commit an offence and are liable to a fine not exceeding one million shillings or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or both.

“This Bill also proposes that no license shall be granted to premises, other than hotel premises, if it is located at least three hundred metres (300m) from any learning institution for persons under the age of twenty one years. In the case of hotels, the facility is restricted not bear any outdoor promotion or advertisement related to alcoholic drinks,” explained Kang’ethe.

Kang’ethe added that the county government shall not also grant a new license for the sale of alcoholic drinks to be consumed in any particular locality if the application is made in a locality that had exceeded the number of such premises in respect of which such licenses have already been granted.

On his part, Mwangi pointed out that supermarkets and retail chain stores that sold alcohol will only be allowed to do so on any day of the week during the hours of 5.00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

Mwangi added that the bill gave the Executive Member (CEC) responsible the powers to classify and zone specific areas or streets within the County to be alcohol sale free zones subject to the approval of the County Assembly.

This bill seeks to guarantee that our nation's youth would carry out their responsibility in building our nation; proscribe minors from drinking alcohol, penalize those who abet them to gain access to alcohol and punish establishments that sell alcohol to minors.

During his swearing in ceremony as the new Governor of Kiambu and on the official opening of the County Assembly, Governor Ferdinand Waititu vowed to crash all illegal liquor dens within the county with a view to protect the physical, moral, spiritual, intellectual, and social well-being of the youth.

“We recognise the vital role of the youth in nation building. Towards this end, my government shall undertake efforts to eliminate alcohol abuse and reduce underage drinking by prohibiting minors' access to alcohol,” read part of his speech.

He acknowledged that alcohol abuse was currently rampant due to lenient monitoring and implementation, making it very easily accessible to the youth including underage children.

“Underage drinking is currently widespread and prevalent. A good number of young people get alcohol from home. If not from their home, they get hold of alcohol from friends or they can discreetly buy for themselves as it is relatively easy for an underage teen to obtain alcohol from liquor stalls and supermarkets,” he said.

He attributed drunkenness or alcohol intoxication to the increase the number of cases of domestic violence, sexual and drug abuse and suicide among young people. 

You can get the full details on the bill via http://www.kiambu.go.ke/departments/DRAFT_KIAMBU_COUNTY_ALCOHOLIC_DRINKS_CONTROL_BILL_FINAL_DRAFT_BILL.pdf