Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has appealed to President William Ruto to help fight the resurgence of illicit brews in the Mt. Kenya region.
Speaking on Sunday, July 14, 2024, during a church service attended by President Ruto at the African Independent Pentecostal Church of Africa (AIPCA) Ndogino, Ndaragwa, in Nyandarua County, Gachagua accused unnamed government officials of issuing operation resumption letters to manufacturers of illegal brews.
Gachagua on secret meetings
Gachagua said that the aforementioned officials had organized secret meetings where the letters were issued without his knowledge and that of the Head of State.
The second in command noted that he had received distress calls from the clergy in the region who had expressed their concerns about the resurgence of illegal brews.
“Hii wiki nimepokea masimu mingi sana, kutoka kwa mapastor, kutoka kwa mabishop. Na hili jambo lazima tuzungumzie leo Rais kwa sababu uko hapa. Rais ulipoingia kwa kazi tulipata yakwamba watoto wetu wameumizwa na pombe ya kuua watu na dawa za mihadarati. Na Rais wewe ukiwa mzazi, ukiwa mkristo, ukiwa kiongozi shupavu, ukasema yakwamba huwezi kubali watoto wetu wamalizwe na pombe haramu,” Gachagua said.
Gachagua further stated that he had managed to win the fight against the illicit brews and managed to rescue a generation that was almost being lost in Mt. Kenya region.
“Na Rais ukaniagiza mimi nianzishe vita dhiti ya pombe haramu na dawa za mihadarati. Nikiwa mtu mtiifu, nikaingilia hiyo kazi nikaweka bidii, nikafanya mikutano na polisi na machifu. We were almost losing an entire generation. Watoto wetu walikuwa wanalala kwa mitaro.
“Sasa Rais uliponiambia nifanye hii kazi nilijitolea mhanga, nikang’ang’ana tukamaliza pombe. Lakini Rais iko huzuni kubwa sana hii mlima Kenya yakwamba hiyo pombe imeanza kurudi,” Gachagua stated.
Letters issued to brewers
He went ahead to claim that some government officials had met about a month ago and decided to issue letters to the brewers of the illicit alcohol, to continue with the production.
He appealed to the president to not let such decisions happen under his watch.
“About a month ago, a decision was made without my knowledge, without your knowledge kwamba hii pombe irudi. Zile kampuni zilikuwa zinauza poison zote zimepewa barua kwamba ziendelee kuunda sumu. Hapa Nyandarua nimepata ripoti leo kuwa vijana wameanza kuonekana kwa mitaro. Rais nakuomba when I am here. Let me address you as my brother. Don’t let it happen,” Gachagua said.
Gachagua-Wamumbi war
About a week ago just after DP Gachagua accused senior officers at the Interior Ministry of sabotaging the fight against illicit brews in Mt Kenya, Mathira Member of Parliament Eric Wamumbi ordered bar operators to reopen their businesses.
Wamumbi stated that bar operators in his constituency are not selling illicit brews and should reopen their premises, which are duly licensed by county governments.
“Bar operators from Mathira will not undergo any further suffering for not doing their legitimate businesses, yet they have operation licenses. Why is it that in other constituencies businesses are going on as usual, but only in Mathira are there closing orders?” Wamumbi posed.
He said bar owners in the constituency are not sellers of poisonous products and therefore should not be punished.