Interior Cabinet Secretary Kithure Kindiki on Monday ordered that public officers who own or operate bars should either close them or resign.
CS Kindiki emphasized that conflict of interest constitutes the primary obstacle in enforcing policies aimed at eradicating illicit liquor and narcotic drugs.
“All public officers in the security, law, and order enforcement agencies who own bars or are in the alcohol business, directly or indirectly, must close them immediately or quit their jobs,” the CS said in Kapsabet, Nandi County.
Kindiki echoed a March 13 memo from Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo to regional commissioners, county commissioners, heads of departments, and all internal security and national administration staff regarding the directive.
PS Omollo stated that the government’s directive applies to all public officers involved in the enforcement and compliance chain, including the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS), Anti-Counterfeit Authority (ACA), Public Health, National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), National Government Administrative Officers (NGAO), and National Police Service (NPS).
“Cross-referencing by the Public Service Commission and other agencies will be done to confirm compliance,” the PS ordered.
The new directive comes in the wake of an ongoing nationwide crackdown on illicit brews, drugs and substance abuse in the country.
