Dorcas Rigathi says drugs, illicit brew a threat to youths lives

Dorcas Gachagua. [Sammy Omingo, Standard]

Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua's spouse Dorcas Gachagua has termed drug peddlers and illicit alcohol brewers as murderers.

This comes days after women took to the streets to condemn the proliferation of illicit brews and the deaths of victims in Kiambu.

Dorcas said that illicit alcohol brewers sell poison to the youths and productive members of society.

“We are burying our children every day. Parents are losing children daily. Those people selling poison in the name of alcohol are murderers and we must speak against this and the church should also be at the forefront in condemning this,” she said

Dorcas further termed the use of drugs and illicit alcohol as satanic agenda which should be stopped by all means necessary.

Diocese of Mt Kenya South Bishop, Charles Muturi, regretted that many youths have been destroyed by drugs and alcohol saying that it is easier to build a boy than to repair a man.

“As a church, we kept quiet on this menace even when we see alcohol being brought and being sold we kept quiet but I am happy we have leaders who are ready to fight drugs and alcohol,” Muturi said

A fortnight ago, a multi-agency team raided Ndeiya sub-county after the public took to the streets to protest increased deaths related to consumption of illicit brew.

The team led by National Campaign Against Drug Abuse (Nacada), Kenya Revenue Authority and Kenya Bureau of Standards officials conducted an operation in the sub county especially, Thigio area.

A section of bar operators were nabbed with expired alcoholic products.

Nacada Chief Executive, Anthony Melikwa, warned that the crack down on substandard and illegal alcoholic products will continue until the situation is contained.

Robert Githire an opinion leader raised concern over alcohol related deaths.

"In the last one year, we have lost about 17 lives in Thigio village due to alcohol-related complications. All the dead are young men aged between 20 and 45,” Githire said

He said the police are having a hard time fighting alcoholism as most drinking dens are licensed by the Kiambu county government.

“The police cannot act as the county government has licensed the bars without vetting of the outlets and the products being sold thereof. If this trend continues we don’t have hope for tomorrow,” Githire said

Ndeiya sub county police boss Rosilyn Mnyolmo, said that the police are frustrated in discharging their duty and called for a multi-agency approach to the matter.

“When we are called because of an alcohol related case we find that the bar is duly licensed by the county government and therefore it would be useless to take such a person to the court. Then the few we arrest with either opening bars before time and such like offenses are released on ridiculous cash bail terms,” Mnyolmo said.

The police boss urged the county government to have a clear record of the licensed bars.

“Last year were told there were 70 licensed bars by the county we later realized that the number was actually 90 bars, the county government must get involved in this fight not just licensing,” Myolmo said.