By Kenya News Agency
Licensed liquor distributors in Embu County have agreed to partner with security agencies to weed out illicit and counterfeit liquor and its manufacturers.
They said they were fully behind the crackdown on illicit and counterfeit brews in a bid to rid the county of the menace that has left many consumers dead or with lifelong injuries.
The liquor traders argued that counterfeiters had also soiled their reputation as well as crippling their trade economically by offering customers fake and cheap commodities that had left their products uncompetitive.
Speaking after a meeting with the county security team led by County Commissioner Jack Obuo in his office, the traders also pledged to put in place self-regulation mechanisms to ensure everyone in the trade abides by the rules.
County Commissioner Obuo called on the distributors to form an association that will work closely with the security organs to remove counterfeiters from the market.
He said that going forward, it will be a requirement for every distributor to furnish the security team with details of their physical location of their premises for monitoring purposes.
“They must also give us monthly stock records to monitor supply and distribution system,” Obuo said, noting that it was not in any way a scheme of trying to micromanage the liquor business.
Additionally, the CC asked them to strictly adhere to the guidelines issued by the government with regard to distribution of liquor between 6am and 6pm.
“Any vehicle that will be found transporting liquor outside the stipulated time will necessitate a security crackdown,” he said.
The County Government has so far licensed eight distributors as vetting of more license applicants continues.
