The High Court of Kisumu has directed bars to remain open which goes against Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki’s directive in the fight against illicit brew.
In a rulling made after the Kisumu Bar Owners Association went to court, the High Court directed that Kindiki’s directive will remain suspended pending a hearing to determine the matter at hand.
“THAT pending hearing and determination of the application dated 8th day of March 2024, stay of the 1st Respondent’s directive issued by the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Interior & Coordination of National Government on the 6th March 2024 for the closure of all bars in Kenya and Kisumu County be and is hereby granted.”
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This comes after Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki directed that all bars operating near residential areas and schools be closed with immediate effect from March 6th 2024.
Additionally, Kindiki directed that bars owned by civil servants be shut down also with immediate effect. According to Kindiki, this move will be the only remedy against the conflict of interest in the fight against illicit brew in the country.
On Monday, 114 bars ownedd by County and National government employees were shut down in Kirinyaga County. Speaking to the press, Kirinyaga County Commissioner Hussein Allasow Hussein said that the owners are trying to transfer ownership to third parties, a move they have managed to seal.
“Some of them are trying to quickly transfer them to third parties but they won’t succeed. We have already identified them and closed them.”
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The County Commissioner added that the 114 are among over 400 bars that have been closed in the government’s crackdown on illicit alcohol trade.
This also comes after Kindiki directed that bar owners who double up as civil servants should either close the business down or resign from their positions to own bars like any other civilian.