Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has urged families to stop hiding their alcohol-addicted relatives as he advocates for collective action to combat illicit brews and drug abuse.
Gachagua implored these families to break their silence and urged religious leaders to publicly acknowledge when one of their congregation members falls victim to alcohol and drug addiction.
During an interview on Inooro TV’s Kiririmbi program on Sunday night, Gachagua shared his family’s tragedy of losing his big brother to alcohol.
The DP recounted the life and death of his brother Jackson Reriani, who, he revealed, succumbed to alcohol abuse in September 2022.
“My elder brother Jackson Reriani was an alcoholic. I tried to talk to him to stop alcohol abuse and even take him to hospital but he would relapse and go back to alcohol. After we won the 2022 elections, he took alcohol to celebrate the victory. He died,” Gachagua narrated.
The Deputy President observed that numerous families across the country have borne the burden of alcoholism and drug abuse.
Drawing from his own experience, he expressed how deeply the loss of his brother impacted him, leaving him without a sibling to confide in.
“When we talk about alcoholism and fighting the menace, it is not politics. We are speaking while experiencing so much pain in our hearts. We know what alcohol abuse has done to us, our neighbours and friends,” he said.
The Deputy President underscored the devastating effects of alcoholism on families and urged both families and clergy to refrain from concealing information about alcohol and drug addicts under the guise of preserving the family’s reputation.
He emphasized that the primary objective of the ongoing nationwide crackdown on illicit brews and drug abuse is to safeguard families and future generations and to empower the youth to become pillars of the country’s economy.
“We must tackle alcoholism. To combat the proliferation of illicit brews, stringent measures will be put in place to monitor alcohol production and distribution. By enforcing strict regulations and conducting regular inspections, authorities will ensure that only licensed manufacturers produce alcohol, thereby reducing the availability of harmful and counterfeit products in the market,” he said.
