Interior CS Fred Matiang'i Orders for Immediate Shutdown of All Bars in Kiambu County

Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i has directed all bars in Kiambu county be shutdown with immediate effect in latest crackdown on illicit liquor.

The CS further ordered all bar owners in the county to apply for new licenses under the new Kiambu Alcoholic Bill stipulations.

“Kiambu has a mysterious history with illicit brews. It’s the only county with more bars than all the primary and secondary schools put together,” he said during the launch of a national crackdown on illicit brews in Gatundu North.

Kiambu has 1,226 public primary and secondary schools, which is less than the number of registered bars- 3062. Matiang’i said his ministry will launch joint efforts with all counties in the fight against illegal brews.

“We have to sort out this problem once and for all. We cannot be burying over 10 people from one village every week,” the CS said.

He criticised the judiciary for helping bar owners run their businesses using court orders.

“Let us work together. We are one country. I urge the judiciary to be part of the solution not part of the problem. The challenges we are facing are our administrators battling court orders every day,” he said.

“We will act on every chief hindering the fight against illicit brews. We are doing our best to support chiefs to deliver services to the people,” he said.