Meru County Alcoholic Drinks Control Board CEO Mbaabu Muguna has raised the alarm over resurgence of illicit brews.

He said that while the vice had declined during the nationwide fight against illicit brews, the brewers were getting back into business.

Mr Muguna said they have challenges especially in Tigania where people are doing the traditional illicit brew and selling it in bars.

The board, he said, is also working with a multi-agency team such as Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Nacada, police, Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI), and national government officers in order to fight counterfeits.

“The illicit brews are causing a major uproar and low-abiding residents have taken to the streets to protest. We have arrested several people and they have been arraigned in court,” Mr Muguna said.

He said they will not hesitate to deal with unscrupulous traders who use bars as conduits to sell illicit brews.

Mr Muguna, said they have closed 240 bars from January to September 2024 alone.

“We have received a lot of memorandums from members of public about rogue bars. We have closed a number of bars and in the month of September alone, we closed about seven (7) bars from different parts of Meru County,” he said.

He said some of the bars they closed are in residential areas where drunkards are sharing toilets with school going children which is unacceptable.

He said they conduct thorough inspections before giving out licenses to operate bars.

Most bars in Nyambene area, he said, are notorious when it comes to operating without licenses.

In their operations, they have also found some bars selling expired alcoholic beverages to clients.

On rehabilitation, he said they have constructed 100-bed capacity rehab centre in Kiirua which is 95 percent complete and it will be operational starting early 2025.

“Addiction is a disease because the addicts become slaves to alcohol. Employers should not sack addicts, but rather they should assist them to recover and regain productivity,” Mr Muguna said.

He revealed in Meru, they have six(6) rehabilitation centres to help deal with alcohol addiction.