BY MUTUGI NJUE
The County Assembly of Embu has made a legislative proposal to provide a legal framework for brewing, distribution, sale, and consumption of traditional liquor.
Section 43(a) of the Embu County Alcoholic Drinks (Amendment) Bill, 2023 provides that: (1) no person shall produce, distribute, sell, or offer for sale traditional liquor without a license issued by the County Alcoholic Drinks Control Committee.
According to the proposed law sponsored by the County Assembly Committee on Trade, any person who intends to produce traditional liquor for own consumption shall be required to apply for a special license to the sub-county administrator and should produce 20 litres and below at one go.
The proposed law prohibits the production of traditional liquor in a residential area or a dwelling house, except being used for a ceremony for which the liquor is required, the residences may be used for the production or manufacture of traditional liquor for a period not exceeding seven days.
The County Government will grant licenses to eligible manufacturers, distributors, and sellers of traditional liquor after vetting by the sub-county committee and subsequent recommendation to the county committee to issue the person with a license.
The County Public Health Officer should approve the premises for the production or manufacture of the liquor, and the process for the production or manufacture of traditional liquor conforms to the standards prescribed by the Kenya Bureau of Standards before licensing.
Any person guilty of violating the Alcoholic Drinks Control Law will be fined Sh500,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years being a first offender while a repeat offender will be fined Ksh 700,000 or imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years.
The Bill tabled by Kithimu MCA Julius Karuri who chairs the Trade Committee also provides for packaging and transportation methods of alcoholic drinks and has already gone through public participation.
MCAs supporting the proposed law observed that Mnazi was legal in the coastal region while Busaa was also considered a legal traditional brew in the Western Kenya region, thus qualifying the Mt. Kenya region to legalize its native liquor.
They said this move would also create a market for local honey and sugarcane.
Mutugi Njue is the Principal Information and Communications Technology Officer at the County Assembly of Embu.
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