KIRINYAGA, Kenya- The government has reinstated chiefs and assistant chiefs in Kirinyaga County who were interdicted following the tragic deaths of 17 people who consumed illegal alcohol in February 2024.
Speaking during Mashujaa Day celebrations in Mwea, Kirinyaga County Commissioner Hussein Hallosow confirmed that the administrators were cleared after the conclusion of government investigations.
“The officers were reinstated after the probe found no wrongdoing on their part,” Hallosow said.
The decision reverses an earlier directive issued by former Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua, who on February 17, 2024, ordered their dismissal during the burial service of the victims in Kangai.
The February incident left 17 people dead after consuming illicit alcohol in Kiamaciri, Mwea West Sub-County, sparking national outrage and prompting a swift administrative crackdown.
Four local administrators — Weston Muthike (Mutithi Location), Jeremiah Muriithi (Kathiga Location), Peter Nyaga (Kianjogu Sub-location), and Samuel Kiarie (Kariko-ini Sub-location) — were suspended and later investigated.
At the time, residents condemned the move, arguing that the chiefs were being used as scapegoats for deeper enforcement failures in the region’s fight against illegal brews.
During this year’s Mashujaa Day event at Rurii Primary School Grounds, reinstated Mutithi Chief Weston Muthike received a warm welcome from the crowd as he appeared in full government uniform — a symbolic return to public service.
County Commissioner Hallosow further announced that Chief Jeremiah Muriithi, who had been interdicted just months before his retirement, will receive all his pending dues.
“Justice has been served. These officers can now continue their service to the people,” he said.
The reinstatement comes as the government intensifies efforts to combat the sale of illegal and toxic alcohol across Kenya — a recurring issue that has claimed dozens of lives in recent years.
Officials say the renewed approach focuses on community partnerships, stricter licensing, and regional task forces to curb the menace without unfairly punishing local administrators.
