EMBU Assembly proposes law to legalise traditional brew

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 make application for a special license to the sub-county administrator and should not produce more than 20 litres at one go.

The proposed law prohibits production or manufacture of traditional liquor in residential area or a dwelling house, except being used for a ceremony for which the traditional 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 premises for the production or manufacture of the traditional liquor should be approved by the County Public Health Officer and the process for the production or manufacture of the traditional liquor conforms to the standards prescribed by the Kenya Bureau of Standards before licensing.

Any person who is guilty of violating the Alcoholic Drinks Control Law will be fined KSh 500,000 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 that was tabled by Kithimu MCA Julius Karuri who chairs the Trade Committee also provides for methods of packaging and transportation 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 legalise its native liquor. They said this move would also create market for local honey and sugarcane.