70 out of 330 bar outlets have been given the greenlight to operate in Mwea West, Kirinyaga County.

Bars in the region had been closed down since February 17, after Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru gave the directive during the mass funeral of 17 people who had died after consuming deadly alcohol in Kangai and Kandongu areas in Mwea West.

The imposed closure was aimed at allowing the fresh vetting of the establishments where people lost their lives to the alcohol suspected of being laced with ethanol.

According to the new Mwea-west sub-county Deputy County Commissioner Lawrence Omondi, only 18 out of 68 bars have been cleared in Kangai as the the area had the most deaths reported.

”50 bars have been closed in Kangai ward and no bars are operating in the villages and we will not allow exposure of children to illicit alcohol and drugs,’ Omondi said.

The DCC said that no bar was allowed to operate without being issued with the 2024 license and a clean bill of health.

“I am not working alone, we are working with the county government, NACADA among others,” Omondi said.

The reopening of this bars come days after Kirinyaga County Governor okayed the reopening of 700 bars on Friday in the county after 6 days of mandatory closure.

She said the verification team had recommended reopening and closure of some of the facilities that had met the standard or were dimmed not to have complied with liquor licensing regulations.

”For the one that have not met the requirement or have not been licensed, the process will continue, there those who have not met the standard and they have been told what they need to do including the regulation of quality of alcohol that is going to be sold in Kirinyaga,” she said.

We have introduced a toll-free line 0800721812 and SMS number 0759674392 that you can use to give us information on suspicious cases of illicit alcohol brewing and sale in your area,” the Governor said.