The government has ordered all bars in Kiambu county closed with immediate effect as part of the ongoing crackdown on illicit brews and drugs.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said bar owners should apply for licenses afresh and be vetted before being allowed back into the business.
The application will be in accordance with the Kiambu County Alcoholic Drinks Control Act.
The CS made the announcement on Wednesday when he launched the national crackdown on illicit liquor, second-generation brews, and narcotics in Makwa, Gatundu North.
Matiangi said Kiambu county has a damning history with the region’s high rates of alcohol consumption.
He said it is the only county in the entire country that has more licensed bars than both primary and secondary schools put together.
The county has 1,226 public primary and secondary schools while there are 3,062 liquor outlets across the region.
“We must sort this out once and for all. Illicit liquor has become the worst hiccup in the government’s Big Four agendas for the country,” the CS said.
