Residents of Witeithie village in Juja Sub-County in Kiambu County have sounded alarm over rising incidence of sale of second generation liquor that is killing young people very weeks.

Consequently, business community in the central Kenya County accuse the local government of ineptitude in dealing with the menace that is gradually wiping out human productivity

Also concerned are bar operators who complain that illicit drinks sold in dens are stripping them of a market owing to irregular competition that also denies the government revenue.

At least three people are reported to have died this month after consuming the poisonous stuff that is said to be transported from as far as Kenol in Murang’a County – more than 40 kilometres, among other supply areas.

“My brother died as a result of consumption of these cheap drinks that are sold between Ksh25 and Ksh30s. I am appealing to the government to take action and end this menace,” a resident Joseph Thuku, said.

Thuku explained how his younger brother George Chege, a small scale trader who was progressive and had even built a modern house in their Murang’a rural home, became a casualty of the cheap liquor.

“Chege had even started constructing a Ksh2 million house before he became addicted to the illicit liquor. This led him to part ways with his wife, before he got sick and eventually died from liver failure,” Thuku added.

It has also emerged that the illegal alcohol joints that operate on a 24-hour basis also serve as a conduits for the trafficking of drugs and other contraband substances in Witeithie. The dealers are reported to have hired young men to peddle rolled sticks of bhang from designated joints.

“You will see these young and visibly ‘charged’ youth at various wines and spirits joints where customers come to pick the stuff,” a villager disclosed.

Locals gave the names of the notorious joints – some are located only a stone’s throw away from the local police station. The residents say the liquor dens, mostly operating as wines and spirits outlets, are not licensed but sale goes on day and night unabated.

In some of the joints, journalists witnessed how the bootleg liquor is sold clandestinely despite the structures being under key and lock. Most of the clients being touts and other “hustlers” at the Witeithie highway bus-stage, trickle in and out from as early as 8am.

Shockingly, some of the ‘patrons’ are very young – obvious teenagers who a supposed to be in school – a thing that raised concern from parents. Villagers claim that chiefs and local security officers have been compromised by sellers, some allegedly receiving bribes on a daily or weekly basis, to turn a blind eye.

Reached for comment, Juja Deputy County Commissioner Daniel Ndege said he has received complaints from local business communities, parents and religious and as a consequence his office has deployed a multi-agency team to deal with the menace.

“We are taking decisive action involving a multi-agency team. I do not want to divulge details of the operation because we don’t want their moles to leak information,” Ndege said.

A bar operator in Juja, Paul Karanja, said the sale of second generation alcohol has badly affected the business as most of the customers flock to the dens.

“Unfortunately, the consumers of these brews are the ones who dictate terms. They don’t care about the effects of the lethal stuff they consume; they simply want to get drunk,” Karanja observed.

This, he noted, has led to genuine liquor businesses to incur losses or even close down for lack of customers. Some of the operators are said to be in a panic after getting wind of an impending crackdown.

One of the suspected drug and illicit alcohol dealers in Witeithie area, known famously as ‘Bena’ has been in and out of police cells and court countless times. He is reportedly behind the manufacture of illegal brews that are discreetly carted into some select outlets and onwards to the consumers.

The suspect has previously been fined and handed custodial sentences but always bounces after release to continue with the illegal business. This also switches the spotlight to Kiambu County government, which is the local licensing authority.

Efforts to get a comment from local county officials proved futile as they were unreachable. Similar incidents have been reported in parts of Murang’a, where a businessman was recently fined Ksh9.2 million after being found guilty on multiple offences related to illegal manufacture, possession and distribution of alcoholic products and counterfeit excise stamps.

Dennis Muiruri Kamande was convicted and sentenced by Resident Magistrate Renna Jakinda of Kenol Law Courts, on June 10, 2026. The magistrate ordered the accused to pay the fine or alternatively serve four years in jail.

Kamande faced six counts under the Excise Duty Act, 2015 and the Anti-Counterfeit Act, 2008.  The charges included manufacturing excisable goods without a valid excise duty licence, possessing excisable goods obtained in contravention of the law, possessing alcoholic products affixed with counterfeit excise stamps and trading in counterfeit goods.

In her ruling, Ms Jakinda said the prosecution led by Ms Peris Gathu had proved its case beyond reasonable doubt after presenting evidence from 11 witnesses.

• A Tell Media report / By Tell Special Correspondent