Kiambu Governor Ferdinand Waititu to Shut Down Over 2,500 Bars in the County

Governor Ferdinand Waititu says only 500 out of the more than 3,000 bars in Kiambu will receive licences to operate in Kiambu County.

Speaking during his State of the County address in the county assembly, Waititu said the remaining 2,500 joints will closed in the ongoing fight against alcoholism and drug abuse in the county. The Governor said the alcoholism menace has reached alarming levels and vowed to step up the fight despite meeting resistance.

“I know we will face some resistance but we are equal to the task. Residents want to see fewer bars than we have today."

"As leaders, we cannot continue to sit and watch as people perish due to alcoholism. We will not relent. We will fight the beer sellers on earth, in the air and in the sea,” he said.

Waititu noted that the county had already put 4,500 addicts into a rehabilitation programme and is offering them manual jobs with a Sh400 daily pay.

“We also intend to start the Kiambu Youth Service where the addicts will be enrolled and given formal training once they recover. We will also enroll them in polytechnics so they can be equipped with technical skills,” he said.

In March, Interior Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang'i said that Kiambu has the highest number of bars in the country, surpassing that of primary and secondary schools combined.

“It is very sad to note that we have more bars and clubs in the county than primary and secondary schools combined. Currently, the county has 777 primary and 369 secondary schools, while it has 3,062 bars and clubs. This is unacceptable and must be checked,” said Dr Matiang’i at Makwa village in Gatundu North constituency, which is notorious for illicit liquor brewing.

In his fight against alcoholism, Waititu has met resistance from the Kiambu Bar Liquor Association, which argues that the Governor is fighting their businesses, where they earn daily income.