NYAHURURU, Kenya, Aug 2 – The Nyandarua Central District Liquor Licensing Committee (DLC) has rejected the applications of 40 establishments that wanted to operate bars in the area.
The DLC approved 29 bar licenses out of 69 applicants seeking to operate in the region.
District Commissioner Samson Ojwang’ who chaired the committee on Tuesday said that the 40 applications that were rejected failed to meet the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act popularly known as the ‘Mututho law’.
The DC said many of the unsuccessful applicants were located close to learning institutions, residential areas or shared a building with rental houses.
Mr Ojwang further said that members of the liquor licensing committee would next week embark on educating the bar owners whose applications were approved on their responsibilities in line with the alcohol law.
“We need to further sensitise these operators we granted licenses on strict adherent to the law as well as incorporate them in our fight against alcohol, drug abuse and spread of HIV/AIDS,” he said.
The DC further warned that authorities in the area would not hesitate to revoke the bar license of any operator who flouts the laid down laws of operating a bar.
He said the government was determined to reduce alcohol abuse in the area especially among the youth, pointing out that there were so many bars in the area as compared to learning institutions.
“We need to see a working population and not a drinking one and that’s why we are keen on reducing beer dens in this district,” the administrator said.
