President William Ruto has challenged County Governments to do more to tackle alcoholism in country, saying many lives were being lost and destroyed due to alcohol abuse.
In that regard, President Ruto called on Governors in the 47 counties to work with the relevant National Government agencies to tame the vice bedeviling the country.
“National and County Governments must work together to confront this problem,” Ruto said.
The Head of State pushed for relevant measures to be taken to ensure alcohol is only sold in the designated areas to control its use and avoid abuse.
He was speaking when he laid the foundation stone for the construction of the Ruiru Affordable Housing Project, Kings Boma Estate in Kiambu County.
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On his part, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua faulted governors for licencing too many outlets to operate as bars and restaurants for 24 hours a day.
“We want to appeal to our governors to sit down and agree that they cannot license each and every outlet to be a bar and restaurant selling 24 hours; it is wrong, it is unacceptable. Even if you are looking for revenue, you cannot do it at the expense of our children. Let us have just one restaurant in a big town as a 24-hour bar and restaurant,” the DP stated.
At the same time, President Ruto has intimated that his Kenya Kwanza Government is on course to deliver on its pledge to build 200,000 affordable urban housing units each year.
“Construction materials will be sourced locally, so will labour, because we want to engage our youth in gainful employment,” the President said.
Kings Boma Estate is being constructed by Kings Developers Limited, operating under The Royal Group of Companies, which is also behind the Kings Serenity affordable housing estate in Ongata Rongai launched by the president in October, 2022.
