Wambora rejects proposed law to open bars at 3pm on weekdays

Embu Governor Martin Wambora (pictured) has declined to assent to the Alcoholic Drinks Control Bill, which would have allowed consumption of alcohol from 3pm to 11pm.

Wambora sent the proposed law back to the county assembly with a memorandum citing the clauses that he wants amended.

Among the things Wambora demanded is that the official hours for opening bars be revised to 5pm to 11pm on working days and 2pm on weekends and public holidays.

Speaker Josiah Thiriku confirmed that the governor had returned the bill to the assembly for amendment before signing it into law.

Thiriku said that Wambora’s memorandum also calls for a ban on the 24-hour alcohol sale licence for restaurants and hotels.

The proposed legislation had permitted drinking of alcohol at any hour of the day or night as long as the partaker had also ordered food at the venue before indulging in liquor consumption.

The speaker admitted that some unscrupulous businessmen abused the bar and restaurant licence by boiling only a single goat head per day and selling alcohol to revellers patronising their liquor dens as early as 8am, under the pretext that they had also ordered food.