Nyeri county government has stepped up the war against alcohol abuse with a new directive barring the registration of any new wines and spirit businesses.

As part of renewed efforts on the fight against alcoholism, the Directorate of Alcoholic Drinks Control and Management has issued circulars informing residents that no new wines and spirits premises would be registered.

The county has also moved in to check premises that serve as both bar and restaurants in rural areas. The businesses which are currently allowed to sell alcohol from as early as 11 am will only be allowed to operate in major towns around the county.

The new directives will be in place on July 1.

Residents have in the past presented petitions to the county government against bars that flouted the rules.

During his Madaraka Day address at Kamukunji Grounds in Nyeri, County Commissioner Onesmus Musyoki said that there was uproar from the residents against bars that operated unchecked.

Musyoki said that some of the facilities in the rural areas posed a big challenge in enforcing the rule.
He pointed out areas such as Skuta, Ruringu, Gatitu and Marua as some of the areas where residents had expressed displeasure at the way some bars operated.

Musyoki lauded the cooperation that his office had with the county government and called for the withdrawal of licenses for nonconforming business owners.

"The licenses of some of the businesses are expiring. We will not renew some of them because they lack goodwill from the public", Catherine Maina, acting head of the Directorate of Alcoholic Drinks Control and Management told the Standard.

In February, a group of bar owners moved to the High Court to stop the county government and county commissioner from shutting down their businesses.

The traders, who were operating on temporary licenses, sought orders from the court to push the county to issue them with full licenses.

However, Maina said that the bars had been given a 2 month grace period to clear their stock before closing shop.

The county government is in the process of conducting public participation before renewing licenses which had expired in December 31.

The process had been delayed pending the passing of Alcoholics Drink Control and Management Act in the county assembly.