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Authorities have uncovered a sprawling network of illegal alcohol production in Kakamega South, seizing thousands of litres of illicit brew in a high-stakes operation that has placed three suspects behind bars.
The Friday raid, spearheaded by the National Authority for the Campaign Against Alcohol and Drug Abuse (NACADA) in partnership with the Kakamega County Police Command, netted 7,000 litres of illegal alcohol and destroyed an estimated 70,000 litres of Kangara a key ingredient in illicit brewing.
Weeks of surveillance and intelligence gathering led officers to well-established brewing hubs in Malinya, Sigalagala, and Musingu villages. What they found was far from makeshift sophisticated facilities equipped with industrial machinery, metallic drums, and over 500 kilograms of sugar primed for fermentation. Police described the operations as capable of churning out thousands of litres weekly, supplying distribution chains that reached multiple counties.
NACADA Chief Executive Officer Dr. Anthony Omerikwa, who oversaw the operation, said the crackdown was part of the agency’s intensified nationwide campaign under the Jukwaa la Usalama initiative, following directives from Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen.
“This is not just enforcement it is an urgent fight for the soul of our communities,” he said. “We are confronting a menace that has not only robbed families of their loved ones but is now luring children as young as seven into alcohol abuse.”
The alarming statistics, Dr. Omerikwa noted, demand heightened vigilance during the school holidays. He called on parents, teachers, and community leaders to work closely with law enforcement, warning that even outlets operating under dubious licences would face closure.
Residents of Kakamega South expressed cautious optimism, with local elder Mzee Daniel Lutomia from Musingu saying, “These breweries have been an open wound in our village for years, fuelling addiction and crime. We pray this will be the start of sustained change.”
The operation is part of the broader National Policy for the Prevention, Management, and Control of Alcohol, Drugs, and Substance Abuse, which prioritises community collaboration and multi-agency interventions. NACADA confirmed that similar crackdowns will soon be conducted in other hotspots, particularly in areas near schools and densely populated residential zones.
As the dust settles in Kakamega South, the message from NACADA is clear: illicit alcohol trade will be pursued relentlessly, and communities are urged to use the toll-free hotline 1192 to report suspicious activities before they take root.
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