Security officers led by assistant county commissioner Danson Waithaka (second right) destroying illicit and second generation liquor at Kigumo law courts on May 26, 2026 /ALICE WAITHERAAt least 10 sacks of bhang and 2,000 litres of illicit liquor were on Tuesday destroyed in Kigumo subcounty, Murang’a.
This came as authorities intensified the crackdown on illegal brews and drugs blamed for rising cases of addiction, family breakdowns and suicides.
The destruction exercise, conducted at Kigumo law courts, brought together officers from the National Government Administration Office, police, court officials, probation officers, the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, chiefs and village elders.
The exhibits destroyed included bhang, second-generation alcohol and counterfeit alcoholic drinks packaged in bottles, all of which had been seized during operations and used as exhibits in court cases.
Senior assistant county commissioner Danson Waithaka said the operation was meant to ensure the illicit substances did not find their way back into the community.
“We continue urging our residents to stay away from illicit alcohol because, as people continue consuming these drinks, we are also witnessing the harmful effects resulting from their use,” he said.
Waithaka warned residents involved in the manufacture, sale and distribution of illicit alcohol and drugs that the government would continue pursuing them relentlessly.
He urged those involved in the illegal trade to seek alternative sources of livelihood, saying the government was ready to support them in venturing into legitimate businesses.
The administrator noted that illicit alcohol and drug abuse had continued to destroy families across the region through increased cases of domestic violence, child neglect and school dropouts.
He said authorities were also concerned about rising cases of mental health challenges, suicides and hopelessness among youths linked to alcoholism and substance abuse.
The bhang was transported to Kigumo Level 4 Hospital, where it was incinerated under the supervision of security and court officials.
Some of the illicit brews and liquor destroyed at Kigumo law courts on May 26, 2027 /ALICE WAITHERAWaithaka said the multi-agency approach involving local administrators, police, village elders and courts was critical in ensuring the fight against illicit alcohol succeeded.
“We also want to issue a stern warning to all those involved in the manufacture, sale and distribution of illicit alcohol. The national government will continue pursuing them,” he said.
Murang’a and the larger Central Kenya region have in recent years struggled with the effects of alcoholism, especially the consumption of second-generation alcohol and other illicit brews, mostly among young people and middle-aged men.
The region has repeatedly recorded cases of deaths linked to the consumption of toxic alcohol, while local leaders and religious organisations continue raising concern over increasing cases of suicide associated with alcoholism, depression and economic frustrations.
Several families in Murang’a, Nyeri, Kirinyaga and Kiambu counties have lost breadwinners to alcoholism, while rehabilitation centres in the region have continued reporting increasing numbers of youths seeking treatment for alcohol and drug addiction.
The government has over the years intensified crackdowns targeting manufacturers and distributors of illicit brews, with chiefs and security officers conducting regular raids in villages suspected of producing the drinks.
Village elder Lucy Wairimu welcomed the operation, saying residents had started witnessing positive changes following intensified crackdowns on illicit brews.
“This alcohol is destroying families in our communities. Our husbands have been affected and our youth have also been ruined,” she said.
Wairimu lamented that even young girls were increasingly abusing alcohol and bhang, a trend she said was worrying many parents and community leaders.
She said village elders were ready to continue working closely with administrators and security officers by reporting illegal brewing dens and drug peddlers operating within villages.
Authorities have now vowed to sustain the operations across Kigumo and neighbouring subcounties as part of broader efforts to combat alcoholism and drug abuse in the region.
