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Gachagua Shares Battle with Alcohol
Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua Wednesday shared his personal journey of addiction and recovery during a public lecture at Murang’a University of Technology. The Deputy President candidly recounted his struggle with alcoholism and the loss of his brother to the same vice.
Gachagua used the chance to urge the Kenyan youth to steer clear of alcohol. “I used to drink a lot myself, a crate… a crate and a half,” Gachagua said, painting a picture of his days spent at a bar called Citrus, where alcohol consumption defined his social interactions.
“Many of my drinking buddies are dead, others are zombies, and others are ruined. They look for me to give them something to eat today,” he said.
However, the Deputy President said his life took a positive trajectory upon renouncing alcohol. “Since I made the decision to quit drinking, my path has been rosy, and you can see where I stand today,” he stated, attributing his success and well-being to his sobriety.
“Please our young people, I cry for you. President William Ruto cries for you. I have to talk to you, to ask you with tremendous respect and humility that your future is bright. Please don’t ruin it,” Gachagua implored.
Gachagua made this revelation days after he narrated the tragic loss of his brother, Jackson Reriani, who died in September 2022 due to alcoholism. The Deputy President shared the details of his brother’s decline during an interview with Inooro TV. “I tried to beg him, telling him ‘We are just the two of us, do not leave me alone.’… the next time I saw him, he was in a coffin,” Gachagua said.
Kirinyaga County Closes Bars Owned by Gov’t Officials
In a major crackdown on illicit alcohol and potential conflicts of interest, Kirinyaga County shut down 114 bars on Monday, targeting those owned by county and national government officials.
“We are vigilant to ensure these bars don’t reopen,” said Kirinyaga County Commissioner Hussein Allasow Hussein. “Some attempted swift transfers to third parties, but we identified and closed them.”
Hussein spoke at a media workshop in Kagio, Mwea West sub-county. He pointed up the importance of unbiased enforcement of alcohol regulations by government officers.
This closure follows a national directive issued on March 13th by Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo. The directive requires public officials involved in enforcing alcohol regulations, such as those from KRA, KEBS, ACA, Public Health, NACADA, NGAO, and NPS, to either close their bars or resign from their positions.
“Cross-checking by the Public Service Commission and other agencies will ensure compliance,” PS Omollo stated.
The total number of closed bars in Kirinyaga County surpasses 400, with 85 unlicensed bar owners already arrested and prosecuted.
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