Wetangula: “Mututho law” to be amended

By Antony Gitonga                       

Trade Minister Moses Wetangula has said the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act would be amended to respond to concerns by industry players.

Wetangula said there was urgent need to review the Act popularly known as the ‘Mututho law’ to address sections that had negatively affected industry players.

“We have received so many complaints about the Mututho Law and time has come to amend the act so that we don’t kill entrepreneurs in the field,” he said

The Minister was speaking in Keroche Breweries in Naivasha during the launch of one of the latest products Crescent Ice Triple distilled Vodka.

The Minister was full of praise for the local company and promised that it would get Government backing in its endeavours. Wetangula challenged the company to invest in neighbouring countries, compete with EABL and increase its market share from the five percent.

He said that the Ministry was preparing a Bill for National Trade Development meant to guide and protect local entrepreneurs. Keroche CEO Mrs Tabitha Karanja said that the Sh500m plant had a production capacity of 10,000 750ml bottles per hour.

She noted that the company wanted to capture 30 percent of spirit market share in the country and 20 percent in the beer market in the next two years.