Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has urged families to stop hiding their alcohol-addicted kin as he pushed for concerted efforts to end illicit brews and drug abuse.

The Deputy President appealed to such families to speak out and called on the religious leaders to disclose to the public whenever one of their faithful succumb to the effects of alcohol and drug abuse.

Speaking in an  interview at Inooro TV’s Kiririmbi show on Sunday night, Gachagua delved into his  family’s  experience of losing his brother to alcohol.

He emotionally narrated the life and death of his brother Jackson Reriani, who he said died of 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,” said the DP.

The Deputy President said many families in the country have suffered the brunt of alcoholism menace and drug abuse.

Giving his personal experience, the Deputy President said the death of his brother hit him hard as he was left without a sibling to talk with.

“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 continued.

During the interview, the Deputy President highlighted the ravages of alcoholism on families and pressed on families and the clergy to stop hiding information concerning alcohol and drug addicts in the pretext of saving the family’s face.

NACADA data

According to data from the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA), one in every five families in Kenya has a relative suffering from physical and emotional health problems resulting from alcohol.

The Deputy President stated that the bottom line of the ongoing nationwide crackdown on illicit brews and drug abuse is to save families and generations and turn the youth into builders 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.

He also commended county assemblies that have enacted new legislations related to Alcoholic Drinks and Control.

For instance, in Mt Kenya region Nyandarua, Nyeri and Tharaka-Nithi counties have since passed and assented into law Alcoholic Drinks and Control Acts.

Kirinyaga, Meru, Nakuru and Laikipia counties are at advanced stages of enacting similar laws.

He further called on the Judiciary to prioritize public interest and safety when handling legal disputes filed by manufacturers, distributors and sellers of second-generation brews.

The Deputy President asked the judicial officers to refrain from issuing orders that inadvertently perpetuate the circulation of harmful alcoholic drinks and substance abuse.