NAIROBI, Kenya- Former Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has praised DCP Leader Rigathi Gachagua’s campaign against illicit alcohol in Mt Kenya, saying Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has not shown the same commitment to the fight.
Kuria said that although he disagreed with many of Gachagua’s political decisions, the former deputy president deserved recognition for confronting the illicit brew problem affecting families across the region.
“I disagree heavily with the political decision-making of Rigathi Gachagua. He suffers from poor judgement. He has a history of making bad choices for the community,” Kuria wrote on X.
He, however, drew a distinction between Gachagua’s politics and his record in the campaign against illegal alcohol.
“Rigathi Gachagua was serious about fighting illicit brews in the Mt Kenya region. The current holder of that office is not,” Kuria said.
The criticism was directed at Kindiki, who succeeded Gachagua as deputy president in November 2024.
Kuria was responding to a video of a woman speaking about the pain caused by alcoholism in her family and appealing to the community to confront excessive drinking and the sale of illicit brews.
In the video, the woman speaks while standing on a grave and recounts how alcohol affected her son before he recovered through faith and perseverance. She warns that harmful alcohol is destroying homes and threatening the future of young people.
“This woman would not have gone through this pain,” Kuria said, suggesting that stronger and sustained action could have prevented some of the suffering linked to illegal alcohol.
Gachagua’s campaign against illicit brews
Gachagua made the fight against illicit alcohol and drug abuse one of his priorities while serving as deputy president.
He led meetings with national government administrators, security agencies, religious leaders and elected representatives as the government closed bars and distilleries accused of violating licensing and safety requirements.
The campaign was particularly visible in the Mt Kenya region, where leaders have repeatedly raised concerns about deaths, addiction, broken families and the loss of livelihoods associated with illicit alcohol.
The crackdown also faced criticism from some bar owners and traders, who accused enforcement officers of closing legitimate businesses alongside illegal outlets.
Government says crackdown is continuing
Kuria’s criticism comes as the government maintains that its nationwide operation against illicit brews remains active.
In September, authorities reported closing 18,650 alcohol outlets.
These included 12,150 businesses operating without licences and 6,500 licensed premises found to have breached the Alcoholic Drinks Control Act.
The government also said 14 illegal distilleries had been shut down, with thousands of raids resulting in the seizure of large quantities of illicit and counterfeit alcohol.
Kuria’s remarks place the politically sensitive issue back at the centre of the contest for influence in Mt Kenya, where Kindiki is seeking to consolidate his position following his installation as the region’s political spokesperson.
